There's Not A Thing I Would Change
by Sakura onto Hitomi
Summary: Van met Hitomi her first day of high school freshman year. They didn't hit it off too well but soon became best friends. Now Van works at a major company and promised his boss a great girl for a party. Who else can he go to but his best friend. COMPLETE!
1. One Week to Go

--Hi there. This is my second _EscaFlowne_ fanfic. I hope you like it.--

Summary: Van and Hitomi have been best friends since she moved into town their freshman year of high school. Now, three years after college, Van works in a very big company and promised his boss that he could hook him up with a beautiful girl so Van could get a big project everyone's dying for. Van goes to Hitomi for help and after making her more like a lady, does Van really want to let her go through with this? V/H

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my idea and any characters I make up.

"blah" talking

'blah' thinking

(blah) author's notes to make you laugh or shake your head at.

* * *

_**Chapter One: One Week to Go**_

The cafeteria was full today, everyone in their separate social groups chatting away while occasionally stuffing food into their mouths. If you could call it food anyway. The day had been long and stressful, but not that much longer to go for the seniors. Graduation was just round the corner, or rather next week. They were all so excited and nervous for the finals coming up. All that was heard lately was "Which college are you going to," "I'm so going to miss you," and "We totally have to hang out all summer."

One girl was sitting off to the side with two others, a girl with red hair and a boy with shoulder length brown hair. They were just smiling and chatting away peacefully. Suddenly, the girl shrieked as something very wet came in contact with her back. Furious, she spun around and saw a certain male laughing his head off. "You losing your touch, Kanzaki?"

Ever so slowly, the girl stood and tossed something lightly in her hands, grinning a what had to be called evil grin. "Now whatever gave you that idea, Fanel?"

The two then ran off to the middle of the quad and so began the seniors' water fight. It was a tradition at the school that a week before graduation all the seniors would begin an all out water war with each other and any brave underclassmen who dared try to participate. It was decided that the school's most popular guy and a not so popular girl were to start the war. It had been a challenge other years to get people to be the initiators of the war, but not this year. Not when the most popular guy was Van Fanel and the not so popular girl was his best friend, Hitomi Kanzaki.

Now that story is an interesting one. The day Van and Hitomi met was rather… interesting…

_-Flashback-_

"_Van!_ _You better come quick!"_

_The said boy looked up at the girl running towards him. "What's wrong, Lin?"_

_The little red head took a few breaths for she had been running around trying to find him. "It's Merle."_

_Van didn't think twice. "Where is she?"_

"_The quad."_

_With that, he sprinted off in that direction, hoping to get there in time. Merle had been his friend for a long time, so when her parents died in a horrible accident, his family took her in. He had always viewed her as his little sister and the job of a big brother was to protect her. People would always pick on her and sometimes beat her up. That was usually when Van came and kicked their butts. No one was going to hurt her. She had been through enough._

_When he got there, he saw some girls and a few guys already run off, but one female stood over a curled up Merle. Van came full force and grabbed the girl's shoulder, spinning her around to face him. He was pissed off beyond compare. The girl's emerald eyes looked at him in shock, surprise and this 'excuse me?' look. "What the hell do you think you're doing to my sister?!?"_

_The girl's eyes narrowed. "What the… I didn't do a damn thing but help."_

"_Help??_ _You call beating her up like that help?!? Why don't you try fighting me instead?" His anger was building up by the second. This… girl had the audacity to say she was doing Merle a favor?!? 'I think not!'_

"_Calm down there Sparky. I wasn't doing anything. I saw this girl here getting beat up so I came over to stop it. Then you come over here to attack me?"_

"_Ha! I don't believe that for a second. You were standing over her!"_

"_To see if she was alright, you macadamia nut!"_

_Right as he was about to do what he had never done before, hit a girl, Van heard a tiny voice. "Van?"_

_Both turned to look at the girl who was now sitting up a bit. To Van's surprise, there weren't that many bruises on her at all. Merle looked at her "big brother" and then at the emerald eyed girl. "She's telling the truth, Van. Those guys came up to me and started to call me names and such. Then they… they started to hit me. This girl here ran up to them and began fighting them, saying for them to leave me alone or she'll be back. That's why they ran away."_

_Van looked from his sister to the other girl before him who gave him this look that clearly asked "satisfied??" He looked back at his sister and she just looked at him with eyes that said she was telling the truth._

_The girl sighed with frustration. "Whatever. I only wanted to help. Later." With that, she picked up her stuff and began to walk away. _

_Van mentally smacked himself and after seeing if Merle would be alright, he ran after the girl. "Wait! Hold up a minute." The girl stopped walking and looked at him as he caught up to her. "Listen, I'm sorry about that… misunderstanding. Thanks for helping her."_

_Seeing the girl raise one eyebrow, he continued. "I really am sorry. It's just…"_

"_I get it, Sparky. If I see her in trouble again, I'll help out. No big deal." As she was about to turn away, Van saw a small but noticeable bruise on her cheek. "Hang on a minute." He grabbed her arm before she walked away. She turned to look at him with cold eyes. "Oh, you so want to let go."_

_Taking the not too subtle hint, Van let go of her arm and started to defend himself. "I only mean you got hurt. Maybe you should get an ice pack or something."_

"_Is there blood?"_

"_Well, no."_

"_Then I'm fine. Now if you excuse me, I have to get to class. Well, I have to find it anyway."_

_Van raised an eyebrow at that. "Wait, so you're new here?"_

"_Yeah, what's it to you?"_

_Shaking his head, he pulled her schedule right out of her hands. "Let's see here…"_

_Snatching her schedule back from him, the girl looked him straight in the eye. "I don't need any help. I'll find it on my own."_

_With that, the girl started storming off in one direction. Van took a look back at Merle to see she was fine and those friends of hers finally showed up. Knowing she was okay now, he went off after the emerald eyed girl. She wasn't too far away so Van easily caught up. This girl amused him for some reason._

_When he was only a few feet away, the girl spun around and glared. "Okay, what part of 'I don't need any help' did you not understand?"_

_With a smirk on his face, he answered very calmly, "The 'don't' part."_

_Rolling her eyes, the girl turned. "Smart ass."_

"_Come on. You're new. You don't know your way around. It's a rather big school. You can either get so very lost or you can let this smart ass show you around so you actually make it to a class on time. Your choice."_

_With a small smirk on her face, she looked at him. "Well, if those are the only choices I have… I'd rather get lost. Better yet, why don't you get lost? It would make me a whole lot happier."_

"_See I would, but I'm afraid of the lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!"_

_The girl just blinked at him. "I think you watched the Wizard of Oz one too many times."_

"_Possibly._ _But enough about me. What about you? Tell me a bit about yourself… maybe starting with your name?"_

_Shaking her head, she just walked away from him. "You gotta work harder then that, Sparky." With that, she entered the building and took off in one direction, leaving Van standing there with an amused look on his face. 'Okay then. Let the challenge begin.'

* * *

_

_Throughout the day, Van would find some way of finding that girl and smiling at her a big smile. She would just roll her eyes and head in the other direction. Finally, lunch came around. Van walked in and began looking around not only for his usual table but for the emerald eyed girl. He clearly saw his friends sitting together, but today he was on a mission. _

_He put his tray down, said hi to everyone, then quickly looked around for the girl. Just then, she walked out holding her tray. 'Bingo.' She started to walk over to an empty table and was about to sit down when her favorite person of the day sat down across from her._

"_So, how's your first day going? Finding your classes alright?"_

_She glared at him again, but sat down. "Don't you have better things to do then torment the new kid on their first day?"_

_Van pretended to think for a minute then shook his head. "Nope."_

"_Why doesn't that surprise me?"_

_Van made himself comfortable as just watched her try and ignore him, a smile on his face. '3…2…1…' The girl snapped her head up with a very annoyed face. "What is your problem?"_

'_Gets them every time.'_ "_Problem?"_

"_Yeah._ _Why are you following me around, causing me to get very aggravated and currently regretting helping your little sister?"_

"_I just want to find some way of paying you back. That and I would like to know your name."_

_A sweet yet scary smile formed on her face. "You really want to pay me back?" When he nodded, she motioned for him to come closer. "I know one thing you could do," she said in a rather seductive voice, sending a chill up and down his spine. She leaned in closer to his ear, then shouted, "LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!!!"_

_She quickly got up and left the cafeteria, leaving poor Van with this ringing in his ears. A smirk came on his face. 'Two can play at that game.' With that, he went back to his table of friends who were staring at him. He sighed. "You don't want to know." Van sat down and ate the rest of his lunch quickly. He had to make sure to follow her._

_For some reason, he couldn't really find her after lunch. A bit confused, Van looked around after school to find this mystery female. Suddenly, a noise caught his attention in the gym. Curious, the black haired male went over to the gym and found a certain female surrounded by a rather large group of kids. 'What the heck's going on here?'_

_One of them came forward and grabbed the girl by the chin. "No one makes a fool out of my kid brother."_

_The girl slapped away the guy's hand. "Well, then he shouldn't make it so easy to do."_

_The guy was obviously less then pleased. "You bitch! I'll teach you not to mess with-"_

"_Hey!" Everyone turned their attention to the door. The girl groaned and placing a hand on her forehead began to shake her head. "Problem here, gentlemen?"_

_The guy then replied. "What's it to you, Fanel? This is none of your concern."_

"_Tsk tsk. What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you team up against this poor, defenseless girl here."_

_Oh, her head snapped up and a fire was in her eyes. "Poor defenseless?!?!? How dare you!!!!"_

_Van looked at her directly. "I'm just saying these guys are out of your league."_

"_I'll show YOU who's defenseless!" With that, she slugged the guy who had grabbed her chin so hard that he doubled over in pain. The other guys ran towards her, fully ready to attack. Van was all set to run in to save her when he saw the girl punch and kick her way out of the fight. It didn't last long either. The group was on the ground in pain. Only a few guys were left and were debating whether or not to fight this… girl._

_Van was a bit more then impressed. These were guys even some teachers were afraid of, and here comes some new girl to show no fear and knock them all out. One came from behind at that moment and grabbed her, setting another up to hit her. Oh, Van was not having that! Not to the girl that saved his sister. As he was about to move, the girl slapped her foot on top of his, brought her arm down to smack him in the mouth, then flipped him. And he just happened to land on the other guy who was charging._

_Blinking a few times, Van stared at this girl who was sending daggers at him with her eyes. "I would run if I were you, Sparky."_

_He just grinned. "Glad to know you like me enough to give me a nickname. I think I could get used to it."_

_Just then, a guy came from behind and hit her hard in the back of the head. Not expecting that, the girl fell to the ground, the hit being hard enough to knock her out. The guy grinned while Van's eyes began to narrow. "That will cost you, buddy."_

_The guy looked up just in time to have his face come in contact with Van's fist, sending him back quite a few feet. The other guys knew of Van's reputation, so they did the wise thing of just running away. Looking down at the girl, he sighed and picked her head up slowly. 'Well, that's going to sting for awhile, but no bleeding.' Gently, he picked her up into his arms and began his long walk home. 'I am sooo looking forward to senior year when I can drive.'

* * *

_

_A few hours later, emerald eyes opened to look into maroon orbs. "Morning sunshine."_

_The girl groaned and sat up, causing Van to sit back. "What the hell happened?"_

_Van grinned. "You should really watch behind you instead of glaring at me. One of them hit you from behind. There's no blood, but you should have a headache for a bit. Here, take these." Van handed her some Advil and a glass of water. She reluctantly accepted them and took them, then handed back to him the glass. "Thanks."_

_He smiled at her as he went into the kitchen to put the glass in the sink. He came back soon with an ice pack. After placing it on her head, he held out his hand. "I'm Van Fanel."_

_She looked at his hand and after thinking about it for a moment, she sighed and took his hand. "Hitomi Kanzaki."_

_He smiled again. "See? Was that so hard?"_

"_Apparently it was if it's giving me this much of a headache."_

_After letting go of her hand, Van sat back a bit. "So, am I allowed to ask you questions now or are you going to tear my head off or scream in my ear again?"_

"_Oh, but I so enjoyed that." A small laugh escaped his lips as he saw her relax and smile a bit. "Go ahead. I guess I owe you anyway."_

_Waving his hand, Van shook his head. "We're even. So, Hitomi, where are you from?"_

"_Mystic Moon._ _I just transferred."_

"_That's a really good school. Kind of far away though. What brings you to our town of Gaea?"_

"_My mom got a new job. She works at Astoria."_

_Van's mouth practically fell open. "Astoria?? That's a really big company."_

"_Jee, you think?" Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Well, that's why I'm here."_

_They soon talked well into the night, Hitomi shooting her sarcasm at Van every chance she got, which he was starting to find very amusing. As she was getting up to leave, he offered to walk her home, which she didn't like at first, but he threatened to come anyway and keep her up all night with his so called serenading. So, they walked to her house, just talking. By the time they reached Hitomi's house, they were friends. Hitomi walked up her steps and when she was at the door, she turned and waved at Van. He smiled and waved back, then made his way home. It turned out she was only about eight blocks away. Not too bad. On his way home, he was thinking of his new found friend, Hitomi._

_-End Flashback-_

"Gotcha Van!" Hitomi flung a huge water balloon at the blacked haired boy, getting him soaked from head to toe. He laughed and turned to face her. "You know that won't go unpunished, 'Tomi."

"Oh that's it, Sparky. You know I hate that name." With that, she brought out her secret weapon she was saving for him. The huge water gun was aimed right at him.

Van put on the most innocent face. "You wouldn't do that to your best friend, would you?"

To answer his question, Hitomi pulled the trigger and hit him dead on. He just kept laughing and throwing the water balloons back at her as she ran after him, laughing as well. Suddenly, Van disappeared behind the corner. Hitomi followed and to her surprise got hit with a huge blast of water, making her scream out. Van came out from the side holding the gardening hose.

"Oh, you are soooo dead, Fanel!!"

"Ah, but the look on your face will make me die a happy man."

The water war continued until the end of the day. The lower classmen had to go to classes and were able to watch the water war, anticipating senior year when they could go out and have that much fun. Merle was one of those people. She just smiled as she watched her big brother and his best friend have so much fun. Since she met Hitomi, no one ever picked on her. Hitomi was always there and even taught Merle had to defend herself. Van had tried to help, but only ended up being the "dummy" to try the moves out on. For the longest time she thought Van secretly had a crush on Hitomi. In fact, by watching them now, Merle still thought that. 'Hmm… Hitomi Fanel. Has a nice ring to it.' With that, she went back to her math class, which was just ever so boring.

* * *

The day had ended and a very soaked senior class all headed towards the parking lot. Van was sitting on his car when a towel that was thrown at him landed on his head. "Gee, Fanel, you really went all out today."

He smiled and rubbed the towel against his hair. "I could say the same to you, Kanzaki." Taking the towel off, he looked over at the emerald eyed girl was had a towel around her shoulder. She was smiling at him and shaking her head. "Ready to go home, Hitomi?"

"Sure. What about Merle?"

"She told me she was hanging out with some of her friends today. What, don't want to be alone with me? I know I am sooo irresistible and all." He ran a hand through his hair and put on this adorable face that would have a lot of girls drooling.

Hitomi just laughed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's it Van. I just don't know how I can control myself. Let me get myself under control so I don't pounce on you right this second." She rolled her eyes again and hit him playfully on the arm.

Van laughed and got in his car as Hitomi got into the passenger's side. After turning on the car and backing out, he threw it into drive and began the journey towards home.

"Hey Van. Want to go see a movie or something? It's so boring at home."

He smiled. "Sure. But I better take you home first. You look like a drowned rat. Don't want to ruin my reputation and all." She smacked him in the arm as he laughed. "Hey, be nice to the driver. Besides, that one hurt."

"Aww, poor baby. Did I hurt you?"

Van began to pout. "Yes you did, you big meanie."

"Then you might want to grow up."

"But I don't wanna grow up! I'm a Toys-R-Us kid!"

Hitomi shook her head. "You really need to stop watching TV."

"Never!" Hitomi laughed as he smiled. He always did like to hear her laugh. It was better then when she was pissed at him. Then she just got very scary.

Soon, they came to her house. Hitomi hopped out of the car then turned to him before going inside. "So should I see you in a few? I'm assuming you going to change too."

Van looked at himself. He was soaking wet, his hair still plastered to his head. "Nah, I think I'll go like this."

Hitomi threw her towel at him. "Go change! See you in a few."

"Bye 'Tomi."

"Later Sparky." Hitomi headed up to her house and waved to him as she reached the door. He waved back then took off when she was inside. It had become a tradition since that first night that Van walked or drove Hitomi home. And it was also a tradition for her to wave from the door and him wave back.

When he got home, Van headed upstairs, took a really quick shower, then changed into a dark red t-shirt and jeans. Heading back downstairs, he poked his head into the kitchen. "I'm going out mom."

Varie turned and looked at her son. "Where and with who?"

"Just to the movies with Hitomi."

"Okay. Just call if you end up sleeping over like you usually end up doing. And you are sleeping on the floor like you usually do, right?"

Van just laughed. "Of course, mom. Cya!"

"Have fun!"

Shaking his head as his mom's comment filled his mind, Van got back into the car and drove over to pick up Hitomi. He parked the car in front of her house and went up to the door. He rang the doorbell and it soon opened. He smiled. "Hey Kenji. Is she ready yet?"

"Oh, hi Van. I'll go get her." The boy ran over to the stairs and shouted up to his big sister. "HITOMI!!! VAN'S HERE!!!!"

Soon, he heard the sounds of Hitomi running down the hall and to the stairs. She soon reached the bottom and smiled at him. "Hey Van. Long time no see."

"I know. It's been ages." He smiled back. "You ready?"

"Of course." Hitomi was wearing a regular light purple t-shirt and jeans. She called out to her mom that she would be back later and then left with Van to his car. "So, want to see Pirates of the Caribbean?"

Van looked at her as they climbed into his car. "Again?"

"Why not?"

"We've already seen it about ten times now."

Hitomi looked at him with these big eyes and her bottom lip began to quiver. "Pretty please, Van?"

Van kept trying to look away. "No, not the puppy dog face. That's not fair."

"Please?"

"Damn it, Hitomi! You know I can't say no to that face."

"Yay! Thank you Van."

Van just shook his head. "One of these days I will be able to say no to you."

"You just keep thinking that. You might also want to start the car."

Sighing, Van started the car and began to head to the movies. They easily found a parking spot and got out to wait on line. Soon it was their turn. Van went first. "One for Pirates please." The man gave him the ticket and Van paid. He got out of the way for Hitomi.

"One for Pirates please." The man was about to give the ticket when Hitomi reached for her wallet. Her face went very red as her mouth dropped open. "Err, Van? You want to do me a favor?"

Shaking his head, Van paid for her ticket and they went inside. "Sorry. I'll pay you when we get back."

"Don't worry about it. What are best friends for?"

"You know I'm going to pay you back."

"True, but instead of money, you can pay me back later tonight. I'll just have to plan for a bit."

Hitomi rolled her eyes as they found their seats. "I didn't know thinking was your strong suit, Van."

"Ha ha, very funny."

The theatre then went black and the movie began.

* * *

After the movie ended, Van was shaking his head and smiling while Hitomi frowned. "It's not funny, Van!"

"I think it was. How can you still get freaked out by that monkey when you've seen it so many times?"

"Oh cut it out!" Hitomi shook her head and stared out the window while her friend was smiling at her little scream in the theatre.

"Ooooh, did I hurt my little 'Tomi's feelings?"

They were at a red light and Van was looking at her with this sympathetic face. Hitomi refused to look over. "Oh be quiet."

"Awww, my poor little 'Tomi. Come and let me make it all better." He reached over and took her chin in his hand, turning her to him.

"What are you doing, Fanel?"

"Trying to make it up to you."

"Back off, Sparky. It's a green light."

Van turned his attention back to the road and headed towards Hitomi's house yet again. When they got there, Van parked in his usual spot and walked inside with Hitomi. She opened the door and walked into the kitchen. "Hi mom. We're back."

Maaya turned and smiled at the two. "Hi you two. Dinner will be ready in a few. Oh, and Van, your mother dropped off some clothes for you in case you stay over tonight, which I assume you are like you usually do?"

Van nodded. "Arigatou, Mrs. Kanzaki."

Hitomi pulled Van up to her room while Maaya smiled. After Hitomi closed the door, she flopped onto her bed. Van flopped down next to her, both staring up at the ceiling. "Can you believe it, Van?"

"Believe what?"

"We're graduating next week. I mean, we're leaving here soon to go to college."

"Yeah. So?"

"Well, aren't you a little… well…"

"A little scared?"

Hitomi looked over at him. "Well, yeah."

Van smiled at her. "I can't believe that my best friend Hitomi Kanzaki is scared of going off to college. I remember when she was new at school and took down the biggest bully on her first day."

She smiled at him while punching his arm. "You know what I mean. It's a whole lot different than high school." Her head rested on his shoulder as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"You'll do fine, Hitomi. I have no doubt about that."

"Aren't you scared, Van?"

"A little bit. I'm just wondering how I'm ever going to survive without the quick wit and sarcasm of my best friend everyday."

Hitomi brought her head up to look at him fully. "Van, I think you'll be fine, but I don't know about myself. You and Merle and the rest of them were really my first true friends. I didn't really have any before I came here."

Van brought his hand up to place her head back on his shoulder. "I know. You just have to let them get through that tough outside and let them see the real you. You let them see what I see, I guarantee they'll love you."

"I don't know, Van."

"Trust me. Have I ever lied to you?"

Hitomi raised her eyebrow. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Van looked down at her. "What are you implying?"

"I distinctly remember a certain time someone claimed to see a chicken practicing yoga on the kitchen table."

"Hey, it's not my fault the damn thing ran off before you could see it."

A laugh escaped the female's mouth. "Sure Van. Whatever you say."

"Hitomi! Van! Dinner's ready!"

Both teenagers got up from the bed and headed downstairs to eat whatever wonderful food Mrs. Kanzaki made. Not only was she a great business woman, but a really great cook, which is what Van discovered the first time Hitomi invited him over for dinner.

(---I always skip the meals… don't know… I just do…---)

After dinner, Van and Hitomi ran back up to her room where they proceeded to flop on the bed again. It was just a very flopable bed!

Hitomi looked over at Van. "So, what do you want to do?"

"Let's just talk for awhile."

"About what?"

"The future."

Hitomi sat up a bit. "Like what?"

Van also sat up to look at but was more on his side then his back. "Well, we're both going to different colleges and all. I guess I'm afraid I won't see you again after we leave."

"Van Fanel! Of course we'll see each other again. How can I not see my very best friend in the entire world?"

"You think that now, Hitomi, but you'll meet new people at college. What if you forget about me?"

Shaking her head, Hitomi looked at him fully. "There is no way I could forget someone like you… what's your name again?"

With that, Van quickly took one of her pillows and hit her with it in the head. She laughed and soon grabbed the other one to hit him as well. And let the pillow fight begin. About ten minutes later, Van did a brave thing during the fight. He threw down his pillow and proceeded to tickle Hitomi. She began to laugh as he continued the torture. "No…. fair… hahahaha"

"All's fair in love and war, Hitomi."

All of a sudden, Van found himself under Hitomi, who was looking down at him with this evil look in her eyes. "Two can play at that game." And so, she reached out and began to tickle him as well. Poor Van tried so hard to get free, but Hitomi had him pinned down. Eventually, he grabbed both her wrists and brought her down so she was mere inches from his face. She struggled to get out of his grasp, but failed. "Van, could you let go? I don't like having black and blues on my wrists."

With a smile on his face, he asked, "Are you sure?"

Hitomi then realized what position they were in. Her face got very red as she did her best to sit up, Van sitting up as well. "That was cruel."

"I don't think so. Just playing my cards right."

"Is that why you keep losing at Poker?"

Van sent a playful glare at her as she smiled. He eventually got up and took the clothes his mother sent over. "Might as well change. Be right back."

"Okay. You know the drill. Knock first."

"Duh." Van then left her room to enter the bathroom just a little ways down. After changing into his other t-shirt and plaid pajama pants, he went back over to her room and knocked. "Are you decent?"

"Yeah, come on in."

Van turned the handle and opened the door. Hitomi was sitting on her bed wearing a tank top and boxer shorts. Van quickly set up the mattress on the floor and laid down on it.

"Van?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever have a secret you kept from someone because you were afraid of their reaction?"

That caused him to sit up. "What do you mean? Is there something you haven't told me?" He already knew about how her dad had died and that her mom had dated this abusive guy for awhile. That was why she was so tough now. She had trained herself so she wouldn't be a victim anymore. Then what else was there?

"Will you make me two promises, Van?"

"Sure."

"Now don't agree until you hear them."

"Go ahead."

"The first one is that we constantly stay in touch throughout college and stay friends after college."

"That one I have no problem agreeing to."

"The second is that we tell each other our deepest, darkest secrets to each other the day before we leave for college. You know, something we haven't told each other."

Van had to think about that. Did he really have a something he kept from Hitomi? Shaking his head, he agreed to the promises. He could tell Hitomi smiled.

"I'm glad. Good night, Van."

"Good night, Hitomi."

With that, Hitomi reached over and shut off her light, surrendering both Van and herself to slumber.

* * *

--I can almost guarantee that the other chapters won't be this long. What do you think so far? Reviews are wonderful. Ja ne!-- 


	2. Graduation and Promises

--Before this chapter begins, let me explain something so you don't get confused. When I graduated from my high school, we had a thing called Safe Graduation, which is basically like a "senior class trip" after graduation until very early the next morning. This is to somehow prevent any drugs or alcohol use by the now ex- seniors. When I went, we did a cruise around the river, then we went to a Jewish version of the YMCA. We didn't get back to the school until 5am where our parents were to pick us up. No senior was allowed to drive home. That is what I included in this chapter.

Thank you to those that reviewed! I really appreciate it! And a warning, the language will be a little harsher in this chapter, but I don't think enough to change the rating.--

* * *

_**Chapter Two: Graduation and Promises**_

"Van Fanel." The whole area soon was on their feet with applause as Van ascended the steps to reach the principal who held out his diploma. Taking it with one hand and using the other to shake the principal's hand, Van smiled and turned to the class as he moved the tassel on his cap to the other side, signifying he had graduated. Walking down the steps, he stood by his seat as he watched a certain female walk up those same steps and head over to the principal as well. Like for him, the crowd had applauded loudly. Hitomi smiled as she took the diploma and also moved the tassel. They both made it. They had graduated.

"Congratulations, Class of 2000. May you move on with your lives, but never forget where you came from. I now pronounce you all graduated."

With that, the entire class threw their caps up high into the air as the band played and all the families clapped.

Even though all the seniors were bunched up together, Van and Hitomi pushed their way through and hugged each other. "I still can't believe it, Van."

"I can for myself, but you? Why the heck did they give you a diploma?"

Hitomi backed up a bit and playfully hit his arm. "Not funny Fanel."

He smiled down at her, then looked over to see their families run over. "Picture time, 'Tomi."

"Oh joy." She rolled her eyes as the cameras were whipped out. She and Van stood together holding up their diplomas and smiling. After being blinded, they took off their gowns and handed them to their parents. "See you guys in the morning!"

Varie looked at them both all teary eyed. "Now you two have fun at Safe Graduation."

Van went over and hugged his mom as Hitomi hugged hers. Then Varie turned to Hitomi and took her into a huge hug as well. Of course Maaya did the same with Van. What Van didn't expect was Maaya whisper something into his ear. "Thank you. She wouldn't have survived without you."

After sending a questioning look at her, Van was pulled away by Hitomi, who was trying to catch up with the rest of the senior class. They all waited in the gym until they were told to board the bus. Hitomi looked at Van. "So, Mr. Popular, what are we doing this year?" (A/N: we technically weren't supposed to know what was planned.)

Van looked at her and put a finger to his lips. "Shh. It's a surprise." He smiled as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh real mature, 'Tomi."

"Never said I was."

Soon they were told to board the specific bus they were assigned on. Lucky for them, Van signed both him and Hitomi to the same bus. They sat next to each other and waited until they reached their destination. All the seniors were talking about what the surprise could possibly be while Hitomi just laid her head back on the seat and closed her eyes.

"Tired?"

Without opening her eyes, Hitomi answered him, "well, I figure if we're going to be up all night, might as well get some sleep."

Van shook his head at her. "I thought you would have an adrenaline rush by now."

"I do. I'm trying to calm it down."

"Ooookay then." Van turned to the person across the aisle and talked to them for a bit, but kept looking back at Hitomi to make sure no one disturbed her. She could get really scary if someone woke her up.

He was only half paying attention to the other person for his mind was still on what her mom had said. 'What did she mean she wouldn't have survived? Is that your secret, Hitomi?' He looked over at her one more time to see she was sleeping peacefully. 'She may be scary when she's awake, but she looks like an angel when she sleeps.' Shaking his head, he went back into the conversation he was supposed to be having.

* * *

An hour and a half later, they reached the harbor where the dinner boat cruise was waiting for them. Van looked over at Hitomi who was still somewhat asleep. Gently, he pushed her shoulder back and forth. "Wake up sleepy head."

Her eyes started to flutter open. "Huh?"  
"We're here. I thought you'd like to come with us all, unless you'd rather stay here and sleep on the bus."

"Okay okay. I'm coming."

After walking off the bus and on the dock, Van heard Hitomi start grumbling. "Something wrong?"

"I can't stand these shoes! A man must have designed them so he could laugh at women for their misfortune."

"Oh come on. They look fine on you."

She turned and looked at him straight on. "If high heals were so great, men would be wearing them."

Van just laughed and in one swoop picked up Hitomi into his arms so he was carrying her bridal style. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Fanel?!? Put me down!!!"

"You said you're feet hurt from the shoes. I'm just trying to make you more comfortable, Kanzaki."

"I can walk by myself, thank you _very_ much."

"I know, but I'd rather carry you. Gives you something to complain about."

"Oh, you're hopeless!"

"I know. It's a gift."

The only ones to stare at the pair were the ones working on the cruise. Everyone else just shrugged. 'It's just Van and Hitomi.'

When they got to the plank thing to board the ship, Van finally put Hitomi down so she could walk on herself. Of course she hit him first, then went on. He just smiled and followed her.

The inside of the cruise was just beautiful. On the first level were a few tables and chairs as well as a small dance floor. There was a "bar" there as well. On the opposite end of the level was a stair case that went up to another level with more tables. The second level overlooked the dance floor below. The level above hosted games like Jeopardy and such. The top level gave the students a beautiful night time view of the city.

After finding a table, waiters came around with different foods to try. Hitomi took a little bit while Van took more then a little bit of everything. "You are such a pig, Van."

"Not really. You're just too picky."

"Unlike some of us, most people don't have the metabolism of a field mouse, Mr. Fanel."

Below, Van could suddenly hear the music begin to play. He turned to his best friend with this weird look in his eyes. "Come on Hitomi. Let's go dance."

"Umm, no."

"Come on! You're never going to see these people again."

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"You should know better then that. I don't dance."

"It's just you and me, 'Tomi."

"Now I'm definitely not doing it, Sparky."

Van proceeded to try the puppy dog face on her, which she just smiled at. "Nice try, but no. Why don't you go ask Sachi to dance instead? I have it on good authority that she has a crush on you."

Van leaned over to her and smiled. "Because I'd much rather dance with you."

Rolling her eyes, Hitomi got up and headed for the stairs. "I'll be on deck. Tell me when you have this dance idea of yours out of your head."

Watching her leave, Van just shook his head. He eventually went to dance a bit, but he didn't ask anyone to dance with him. They either came to him or just danced around him on the floor.

After awhile, Van left the dance floor to go up on deck to check up on his best friend. He knew she hated dances. No one ever asked her to go with them, well except for him. Now that he thought about it, he never really saw her dance or dress up even once. That was fine with him. He liked her just the way she was. The other guys were idiots not to be interested in her. Hitomi was smart, funny, ready to do just about anything… He could just go on and on. That was his best friend and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Finally, he reached the top deck and the view just took his breath away. The city was alive with the bright lights that seemed to dance on the water. Before him, sitting on the little seating area, leaning against the railing, was a woman with sandy brown hair gazing out into the water. Her hair moved with the wind the boat was creating, also causing her dark purple dress to sway as well. The dress went down to a little bit above her knees and her shoes were cast aside.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, Van walked over to the woman and stood beside her. "This seat taken, Miss?"

The woman turned her emerald eyes to him, which sparkled with the city lights combined with the twinkling stars above. A smile spread on her lips. "Actually, I was saving it for someone."

"Anyone important?"

"Not really. Just a friend who'd rather dance the night away."

"Well, far be it for me to leave a lady all by herself. I would not feel like a gentleman if I left you out here in the cold by yourself. Someone might come by with less than honorable intentions."

With a smile on her face, Hitomi grabbed his arm. "Just sit down you nut."

After sitting down, he smiled at her. "What kind? Peanut? Cashew?"

"Macadamia."

"Ah, my favorite."

Hitomi leaned her head back to look at the stars about. "Got tired of dancing?"

"Got tired of being without my best friend. What are you doing up here by yourself? They served dinner awhile ago."

"Wasn't hungry. I'd rather watch the lights."

"Ah, a hopeless romantic underneath that tough side. How cute."

"Never call me that, Fanel."

Van looked over at her fully. "Well, am I allowed to call you beautiful? Cause you do look beautiful tonight, Hitomi."

Hitomi looked over at him as if he had ten heads. "Are you crazy? I'd rather be in my plain t-shirt and jeans."

"Yes, I know, but you do look really nice tonight. How much did your mom pay you to dress up?"

The corners of her mouth began to turn up slightly. "$20."

"That's all? I'm surprised you didn't hold out for more."

"I'm fine with that."

A comfortable silence overtook them then as they just sat and enjoyed each other's company. It was nice and peaceful.

The silence was broken but a soft female voice. "Van? You will keep your promise, right?"

"I always keep my promises, especially to you, Hitomi."

Without looking at him, she asked, "There was another reason why we moved here, Van. It wasn't just because of my mother's job."

Van sat up a bit and looked at her, not saying anything with his voice, but his eyes told her to continue. After a moment, she did. "Back home, I mean back in Mystic Moon, I had a reputation. It wasn't a very good one. I was the slut, even though I never did… _that_. There was this guy that was interested in me and kept following me around. He would chase off all other people, saying I was his and that no one else was to even look at me. I constantly refused him.

"One night, we were at the same party. This is back when I actually liked to dance. I was out having some fun. Some girl from school came up to me and said she thought she saw someone walk into one of the back rooms with my friend, about to force themselves on them. This was after my mom's abusive boyfriend, so I was trained to defend myself and all. So I went back to the rooms to find her. I finally found one I had assumed was the one. After I walked in, the door slammed behind me. I turned around and to my horror found it was that guy who was obsessed with me. He had locked the door and had this lustful look in his eyes. I'm still not sure if he was drunk or not. He came at me, licking his lips. With great force he threw me onto the bed and started to climb on top. It would do no good to scream because the music was far too loud. He was right on top of me, about to lower himself on me… I kicked him, you know where, and ran towards the door. I threw open the door and ran out of there, seeing my friend was perfectly fine on the other side of the room with another friend. I just ran home and up to my room, never speaking to my mother that night. I just cried into my pillow when the full impact hit me as to what that boy was going to do.

"I didn't go to school the next day, but the day after, when I went, I noticed people standing around my locker. Curious, I walked over to see what was going on. There, spray painted on it was this one horrible word. 'Whore'. Every day after that, a new word was painted on my locker door. People were talking and the rumors were spreading like wild fire. Soon, it was all over town. People were looking at me with disgust in their eyes. Some refused service to me while others would spit at me and call me names. It didn't matter they had no clue what they were talking about.

"One night, my family and I had gone out, but when we came home, our house was painted. 'Fucking Queen of the Whores.' I can never forget that. We scrubbed for days to get it off. We ended up having to paint the whole house again. The next day, the same thing was on the house. During this time, I fell into a depression of some sorts. Many times I thought about just killing myself, of leaving all the pain behind. That's why mom tried so hard to find a new job. She thought if we left it all behind, I would be better. During the long wait, it all just got worse and worse.

"Finally, mom got the job at Astoria and we quickly moved. I had been here for some time, about two weeks, before I started school. I was so afraid the same things would happen and I just didn't want to deal with that. That was why I didn't like the fact you were following me around that day. It reminded me of that one guy and what that lead to. I didn't want a repeat of the past so I fought it off as much as I could. But you just kept on trying to get to know me, trying to be my friend no matter what. Eventually, I grew to love your family and everything. I felt I finally could be free." Hitomi smiled and looked over at Van, who was not so slightly stunned with all she had just said. "With you, I finally found a true friend. The ones I had before bought into what the rumors said. I was alone. You were exactly what I was looking for, what I needed. I guess you could say you've saved my life, Van."

What could he say to that? Van was completely stunned with all she had said. His Hitomi went through all that? It didn't sound like something she should have lived through. Van clenched his fist as a look of anger overtook him. "I didn't know. If I had known earlier Hitomi…"

"What would you have done? Punched a hole in the wall? What purpose would there be to that? It was something I needed to keep to myself."

"But, Hitomi, I might have been able to do something, make sure the person paid for what they did."

A soft smile spread on her face as she looked at him. "Van, you couldn't have done anything. I wanted to put the past behind me and when I met you, I finally felt I was able to. That's all I needed for you to do, and you did without even knowing it."

Shaking his head, Van averted his gaze towards the ground. "I just don't understand why you didn't tell me sooner."

Lightly shaking her head, Hitomi reached over and took Van by the chin, directing his gaze to her instead. "Van, listen to me. It was a very difficult time in my life. I just wasn't ready to bring the past here. Please understand."

Looking into her twinkling emerald eyes, Van had no choice but to nod. It must have been difficult for her to even speak up now. He could still see the pain in her eyes from all the memories that were reappearing in her mind. Moving quickly, Van took her into a tight embrace, letting her know he was here for her always. 'Nothing like that will ever happen again. I'll protect you, Hitomi.'

They stayed in each other's arms for a long time, letting the full moon cast its glow on them. Finally, Hitomi pulled away and looked him in the eye. "Well, that's one deep dark secret down. Your turn."

Van shook his head and smiled. "After that story, I don't think mind is that bad."

"Oh come on Van. Please?"

After thinking for a minute, Van finally began to speak. "When I was younger, my dad died in a car accident. I was so mad because the other guy was drunk and a horrible man, but he survived with no scratches at all. I got pretty much mad at the world for what happened. Eventually, I was skipping school and later joined a gang. Surprising, huh? Me in a gang. We would go around town and do whatever we wanted, beat up whoever got in our way. It didn't matter what we did as long as it was fun and destructive. It was a way to release my anger and get back at the world. Eventually I was considered second rank, right under the leader of the gang. It was all just so much fun.

"One day, I saw the gang at the park beating up some poor pathetic kid. Deciding I needed to let loose some anger, I went over to get in a few punches. I… I saw who the poor pathetic kid was and I froze. It was Merle. She looked at me, tears in her big innocent eyes full of shock and disbelief. I finally saw what I had become and I hated it. I ended up fighting the other guys off her and I was then labeled a traitor. The fight lasted a long time, but I made sure Merle was safe. When it was over, I had so many cuts and bruises I could never have counted them all. But I had gotten out. That's why the kids at school know my reputation. I was the one in the worse gang of the city… and the only one to get out alive.

"I was ashamed of my past, so I did a complete 180. I did my best to seem warm and caring instead of the cold person I had become. It didn't really work completely until I met you though. It was just an act before, something so people wouldn't be afraid to talk to me. But then you came along with that attitude of yours and… I don't know. Something just changed. It didn't seem like I was pretending anymore, that I actually truly cared. So, I guess in a way, you could say you've saved my life as well."

Hitomi looked at her best friend in a new way that night as Van looked at her with more admiration. All she could do was hug her friend as she felt his arms wrap around her as well. "Well, I guess we all have our little secrets."

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "Is that all you can say?"

Leaning back and out of the embrace, Hitomi smirked. "No, I can also say if I ever found out you are in a gang after high school, I will definitely come by and beat you up."

"Glad to hear you care, 'Tomi."

"Always, Sparky."

Van smiled as he got up and headed back to their class. "Well, I think I'm going to get some dessert. Care to join me, Miss?"

"I'd love to." Hitomi smiled and followed him to where everyone else was dancing the night away.

Van was deep in thought. 'So that's what her mom meant. Poor Hitomi. It all makes sense now. The not dressing up, no dancing… everything. That will never happen to you again. I won't let it.'

A cruise lasted another few hours. At around 12:30am, the seniors got off the boat and boarded the bus again. As usual, Van sat next to Hitomi, who seemed a bit tired. "Tired again, Hitomi?"

Shrugging, she yawned. "It was kinda boring."

"Well, for someone who doesn't dance, I can imagine. But I won't hold it against you. Just promise one day I'll get a dance with you."

With a small smile on her lips, Hitomi looked over at him. "What is it with you and dancing?"

"I'm just so good at it I like to show it off now and then."

"Oh. So that's what you call it… dancing… I thought you were having a seizure or something."

"Hey! You are not one to talk. Not unless you promise."

After thinking it over, Hitomi nodded. "Fine. One day you will get a dance, but I get to decide when."

"Deal."

She smiled and proceeded to poke him. "Hey! What's with the poking?"

"Cause I feel like it."

"Oh yeah?"

A poking war was born, which lead to tickling. The laughter made it impossible for any to sleep but instead the whole bus turned to laughter as an all out tickle war began. Lucky for the bus driver, the ride wasn't _too_ long. They pulled into the entrance way of a somewhat YMCA. Shrugging, everyone piled out and were given their bags. They were told in a letter what clothes to bring with them and anything they might need, yet no mention of what they were going to do. Their only clue was a swimsuit and towel. That's all.

Hitomi made moves to grab her bag when a certain hand grabbed it first. "Van, give me my bag."

"Tsk Tsk. What the magic word?"

Holding up a fist to his face, Hitomi smiled. "Now."

Shaking his head, Van began to walk backwards. "Sorry, you lose. That's not the word we were looking for."

"Van, get back here with my bag!" Hitomi ran after him as Van ran through the doors and was directed to this big gym area. Too bad for him the floor was a little slippery for he fell flat on his butt. Hitomi watched, laughed and continued to run after him, but the floor was indeed slippery. She then fell face first towards the ground, but instead of landing on the hard ground, she landed on Van…or rather his stomach. The ex-seniors just shook their heads at the couple and moved to the appropriate places. Eventually Hitomi got off of Van and they turned their attention to the person talking in front.

The owner of the Jewish YMCA told them there were different stations in the place, including swimming, a race game, karaoke, and fortune telling. "Just be respectful and don't break anything. Now have fun!"

Hitomi grabbed her bag from Van and ran off towards the girls room while Van walked over to the boys room. Soon, Van came out in regular t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. Leaning against the wall, he waited for Hitomi to come, which she did a few moments later. She came out in a black tank top, denim shorts and sandals. A smile was on her face as others came out of the bathrooms in their new comfortable clothes.

Soon everyone was off doing their own thing while Hitomi dragged Van to get their fortunes read. "What's the big deal, Hitomi? You do this stuff all the time and you're probably a whole lot more accurate then this person."

"Oh come on Van. It's fun! Besides, maybe they could show me something I never saw before."

Shrugging, Van just let Hitomi lead him to this quake, I mean psychic. After waiting on line, Hitomi bounced over and sat down in the chair opposite the woman. "What would you like used today, my dear? Tarot cards, Runes, Crystals…"

"The Tarot Cards please. Oh! That's a beautiful Celtic ring."

The woman looked down at her hand and smiled. "You know Celtic jewelry?"

"Why yes. See here, I have one too, just different." Hitomi held out her hand to show the woman the ring on her finger. Admiring the ring, the woman smiled and nodded. "It is very beautiful. Someone special must have given it to you. Someone who is with you today."

A bit surprised, Hitomi nodded. "Yes, my best friend here gave it to me."

_-Flashback-_

_The mall was crowded that day. Hitomi really didn't like big crowds, but that Van dragged her out of the house. They weren't friends that long, only a few months, and yet he had insisted she go with him to the mall for some odd reason. Something about a new CD he wanted._

_Shaking her head, all Hitomi's face held was a frown. "Can we go any faster?"_

_Van looked over at her with amusement in his eyes. "Why, Kanzaki? Got a date?"_

_Glaring at him, Hitomi replied. "I don't like big crowded places. As you could probably guess I'm not exactly people friendly."_

"_No! I would have never guessed."_

_They finally reached the music store when Hitomi spotted something. "What is it?"_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi walked into the music store with Van. After walking around awhile, her eyes were distracted yet again. "I'll be right back, Van."_

_Without waiting for an answer, Hitomi walked out of the store and over to an interesting cart with different kinds of Celtic jewelry and artifacts, including clothing. A particular item caught her attention. On the ring stand was a particular ring, silver in color. All around the band were Celtic knots and on top were what could only be described as two faces, looking towards each other. Though the faces were not much to look at, the ring captivated her. _

"_Hitomi?"_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi looked over at the music store to see Van looking around for her. Sighing, she took one last look at the ring and then left to make Van stop searching for her. "I'm right here."_

_Van smiled. "You ready to go?"_

_Noticing he didn't have any bags, Hitomi looked at him confused. "You didn't get anything?"_

"_Nah. They didn't have what I wanted."_

_Shrugging, Hitomi walked back to where they were to meet his mom, Van behind her.

* * *

_

_During lunch, Hitomi sat picking at her… "food"… when Van sat down across from her. "What's on the menu today, Kanzaki?"_

_Poking at the green blob on her plate, Hitomi sighed. "I think it's supposed to be chicken. I'm kind of not looking forward to tasting it."_

_With a small chuckle, Van reached across the table and handed her a small box. Confused, she looked up at him. "Open it and see for yourself."_

_Giving him a weird look, Hitomi took the box and opened it. Her eyes went wide as her mouth dropped open. She looked up at him and back at the ring, then back at him again. "Van? What the…?"_

_He smiled and chuckled again. "I saw you looking at it the other day. I figured if you were drawn to it so much, you might like it, especially with your obsession with Celtic music and all."_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi pushed the box back at him. "I can't accept this, Van."_

_Taking the box, he took the ring out of it and grabbed her hand. "Hitomi, I'm not taking this back. I bought it for you. I guess you could call it a token of friendship. Basically, with this ring I'm saying you're my best friend."_

_Touched, Hitomi looked at him with soft eyes, eyes he hadn't seen before. Taking her hand, he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. Frowning, Van sighed. "Damn. I got the wrong size."_

_Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "Van, you're such a guy." Taking her hand back, she moved the ring from her ring finger to her pointer. (the one next to the thumb) She held up her hand for him to see. "Perfect fit."_

_Van just smirked. "Only you would think of that."_

"_Me and a lot of other girls." Hitomi saw some relief in his eyes. 'I guess he was nervous about if I would accept this or not.' "Thank you Van. I love it."_

_A smile spread onto his face as Van looked at her. "Great! Now, what's this about green blob that's chicken?"_

_-End Flashback-_

Van smiled at the memory, but he also remembered the part she didn't know about.

_-Another Flashback-_

_Items were thrown all over the place in the medium size room. Merle was standing at the doorway watching her "big brother" mess up his entire room in less then a minute. "What are you looking for?"_

_Van looked up at her while holding a sweatshirt and a black cat with big greenish yellow eyes. (TRIGUN CAT! Meow) After throwing the items (and animal) aside, Van continued to dig. "I'm looking for something to give Hitomi."_

_A sly grin appeared on her face. "Why do you want to give her something?"_

_Rolling his eyes, he glared at her. "Get that thought out of your mind. Hitomi is still a little uneasy around me. I figured if I gave her something, as a token of friendship, she might open up more." Looking away from Merle, he muttered to himself, "she's pretty much my best friend."_

_Too bad for him Merle heard… or was he fortunate? She smiled yet again. "You are such a guy. This is what you do. Take her to the mall. Say you have to buy a CD or something. Walk all around the mall until you see her attention get caught by something. While she's observing it, pretend you're still looking for your item, but take a very good look at what she's looking at. Then, when you get her attention again, leave the mall."_

_He followed her up until then. "Leave?"_

_Rolling her eyes, Merle shook her head. "Baka… You can't buy it for her if she's there!! Go back the next day and buy it then. Give it to her when you feel it's the right time."_

_After letting this all process, Van grinned, grabbed his wallet and ran towards the door. "Thanks Merle! You're the best!" was the last thing that was heard as Van told his mom the plan. Merle just sighed. "What would he do without me?"

* * *

_

"_Can we go any faster?"_

_Van looked over at her with amusement in his eyes. "Why, Kanzaki? Got a date?" They had been walking around for awhile and still nothing caught her eye. 'Maybe it was a dumb idea after all.'_

_Glaring at him, Hitomi replied. "I don't like big crowded places. As you could probably guess I'm not exactly people friendly."_

"_No! I would have never guessed."_

_They finally reached the music store when Van noticed Hitomi spotted something. "What is it?"_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi walked into the music store with Van. Glancing over in the direction her eyes were before, Van saw a cart full of Celtic items. Smiling a bit to himself, he quickly went back in the music store and made sure to take a long time. "I'll be right back, Van."_

_Watching her leave with the corner of his eye, Van saw Hitomi walk up to the cart and look at an area full of rings. 'Which one is she looking at?' Getting as close as he dared, he narrowed the options down to a few when Hitomi reached out and touched one. 'Bingo.' Racing back to the store, he pretended to be looking for her. "Hitomi?"_

_Van saw her come over to him quickly. "I'm right here."_

_He smiled. "You ready to go?"_

_Hitomi looked at him confused. "You didn't get anything?"_

'_Think of something!!!' "Nah. They didn't have what I wanted."_

_Shrugging, Hitomi walked back to where they were to meet his mom, Van behind her, smiling and looking back at the cart. 'I'll be back.'

* * *

_

_Pacing back and forth in the hallway, Van was so very nervous. He held the box with the ring in it in his hand, debating if he should go through with this. 'What if she hands it back? What if she doesn't want to be friends?' Taking a deep breath, he entered the cafeteria to see her poking the green chicken surprise._

"_What's on the menu today, Kanzaki?"_

_He heard her sigh. "I think it's supposed to be chicken. I'm kind of not looking forward to tasting it."_

_Trying to keep his cool, as he released a small chuckle, Van reached across the table and handed her a small box. Confusion was written all over her face. "Open it and see for yourself."_

_After giving him a weird look, Hitomi took the box and opened it. Her eyes went wide as her mouth dropped open. She looked up at him and back at the ring, then back at him again. "Van? What the…?"_

_He smiled and chuckled again. "I saw you looking at it the other day. I figured if you were drawn to it so much, you might like it, especially with your obsession with Celtic music and all." He could tell she liked it which made him very happy._

_Shaking her head, Hitomi pushed the box back at him. "I can't accept this, Van."_

_His worst fear was being brought to life. Taking the box, he took the ring out of it and grabbed her hand. He was not going to let her turn it away. "Hitomi, I'm not taking this back. I bought it for you. I guess you could call it a token of friendship. Basically, with this ring I'm saying you're my best friend."_

_Hitomi looked at him with soft eyes, eyes he hadn't seen before. 'Her eyes look so alive with that look.' Taking her hand, he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. Frowning, Van sighed. "Damn. I got the wrong size."_

_Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "Van, you're such a guy." Taking her hand back, she moved the ring from her ring finger to her pointer. She held up her hand for him to see. "Perfect fit."_

_Van just smirked. "Only you would think of that."_

"_Me and a lot of other girls. Thank you Van. I love it."_

_A smile spread onto his face as Van looked at her. 'I knew she would love it.' "Great! Now, what's this about green blob that's chicken?"_

_-End Flashback-_

The woman smiled and started to shuffle her cards. "Now clear your mind of everything but a specific question. You don't have to tell it to me if you don't like, but it would make it easier."

Hitomi nodded. "I'd rather keep it to myself, if you don't mind."

"Of course."

Closing her eyes, Hitomi concentrated on her question. 'What's going to happen in Van's and my future?'

The cards were then handed to her and Hitomi shuffled them until she felt they were good. Opening her eyes, Hitomi handed the deck back to the woman. With a smile on her face, the woman began to do a Celtic spread.

"This card indicates a destroyed wall around you, as if you are or were holding back something but have recently knocked it down. A secret that has plagued you has been revealed. You bring in positive energies, as if anything you see here today you will believe. The distant past hold despair, depression, and pain whether mental, physical and emotional. In this case, all three. The recent past shows apprehension. You were afraid to let go of everything from before and rebuild anew. But it seems this card indicates you have let everything go and have trusted someone new. This card here show you are on a good path that leads to everything you wish, but there will be bumps to overcome that will truly test you. The future shows love from an unlikely source to you. As in to you the person will seem like the last person you would think of. This card here represents you. It shows someone who is strong and hard on the outside, but fragile on the inside. You are slowly letting people see the real you, but one small bump and your mask comes back up for a long time. The general energies around you are positive and believe in your success. Your fears are of separation, pain and betrayal, but there is some force blocking those from occurring. The outcome here shows a partnership, a strong bond that is unbreakable in the end. Overall, there are some trials to come but in the end all will be well."

Hitomi sat back and let all the information sink in. 'Okay, so that's pretty good I guess.' Slowly getting up, Hitomi thanked the woman and smiled at Van. "Your turn, Sparky."

Sighing, Van sat down and smiled at the woman. She returned his smile. "Not really a believer, are you?"

"Only to certain people. Can you do something other then tarot cards?"

"Certainly. Palm reading, Runes, crystals…"

"The palm reading please." Holding out his hand to her, Van relaxed against the chair as the woman held his hand. She began looking at each line on his hand with a level of concentration.

"I see great progress in your life. Your dreams will become reality, but not on the course you see. Two roads will be set forth in front of you. One will lead to a false happiness at a high cost, losing someone close to you, while the other will lead to everything you've wanted, just different from the original plan. You have to find this other road or else you will lose the one you cherish most forever. The outcome is not really shown here. Fate is still up to you to decide."

After feeling his hand be released, Van sat back in the chair and examined his hand. Sighing, he began to stand up to leave when the woman had one more thing to say. "Young sir, do not be so skeptical with this reading. The rest of your life depends on this decision, whether you pick one route or the other. Choose very wisely."

Nodding, Van thanked the woman and walked off with Hitomi back to the main room. Her emerald eyes turned to him with curiosity. "Well, what did you think?"

With a smirk on his face, Van looked off before him. "I think that I should challenge you to the obstacle course over there. But, I guess not. I don't want you to cry when I beat you so horribly."

Her eyes had this spark in them, a fire of some sorts. "Oh really? Wanna bet on it?"

"What do you have in mind?"

Looking around the gym area, Hitomi's eyes spotted something and a smile spread on her face. "Loser has to sing Karaoke."

After thinking about it, Van agreed and they both ran over to stand in line, waiting for their turn. Finally the time came. The two teens got set and when the man gave the signal, in they went, climbing, bending and running as fast as they could. They were pretty neck and neck… that is until Hitomi lost her footing, giving Van a chance at the lead. It was close, but the victor was Van.

Hitomi sighed as she climbed out of the massive thing. Van turned and smiled at her. "Do you need to practice your 'Do Re Mis' before you start? Glass of water?"

"Oh stuff it." Sighing, Hitomi went towards the karaoke area and waited until her turn came, looking through the song book. Van made himself comfortable on the gym floor until finally it was her turn.

The song began to play and soon Hitomi began to sing.

"_I was stained, with a role, in a day not my own  
But as you walked into my life you showed what needed to be shown  
And I always knew, what was right I just didn't know that I might  
Peel away and choose to see with such a different sight _

"And I will never see the sky the same way and  
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday and  
I will never cease to fly if held down and  
I will always reach too high cause I've seen, cause I've seen, twilight

"Never cared never wanted  
Never sought to see what flaunted  
So on purpose so in my face Couldn't see beyond my own place  
And it was so easy not to behold what I could hold  
But you taught me I could change Whatever came within these shallow days

"And I will never see the sky the same way and  
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday and  
I will never cease to fly if held down and  
I will always reach too high cause I've seen, cause I've seen

"As the sun shines through it pushes away and pushes ahead  
It fills the warmth of blue and leaves a chill instead and  
I didn't know that I could be so blind to all that is so real  
But as illusion dies I see there is so much to be revealed

"And I will never see the sky the same way and  
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday and  
I will never cease to fly if held down and  
I will always reach too high cause I've seen, cause I've seen, twilight

"I was stained, by a role, in a day not my own  
But as you walked into my life you showed what needed to be shown  
And I always knew, what was right  
I just didn't know that I might  
Peel away and choose to see with such a different sight

"And I will never see the sky the same way and  
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday and  
I will never cease to fly if held down and  
I will always reach too high cause I've seen, cause I've seen, twilight..."

When she finished, everyone who had sat there to listen applauded, amazed that she could actually sing. Van was the most stunned as he clapped the loudest with a smile on his face.

Hitomi, with her face slightly red, walked over to Van. "Happy now?"

"Most definitely. It was great Hitomi."

"Riiiight. Can we just go do something else?"

"Swimming?"

"Sure. Meet you out there." With that, they walked off to go change, Hitomi pushing Van to go into the boys room and not follow her into the girls room. A few minutes later, Van was sitting by the pool with a towel over his shoulder, waiting for Hitomi. Sighing, he turned to a red head who had just come out of the locker room. He recognized her as Hitomi's good friend. "Hey Yukari. Can you go see what's keeping Hitomi?"

Yukari nodded and went back into the locker room to look for the said girl. She came back out a few moments later, a smile on her face. "Well, I'm attempting to drag her out now."

Van sighed and shook his head. "Anyone in there?"

"Just her."

With a smirk on his face, Van walked over and opened the door. "Hitomi! If you don't come out in 5 seconds, I'm coming in after you."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"One…"

"Don't even think about it!"

"Two…"

"I'm coming! Damn you Fanel!" With that Van backed up as Hitomi came out of the locker room in a one piece bluish green swimsuit, a towel wrapped around her waist. She glared at him. "I so hate you."

"Awww…. But I wuv you ever so much, 'Tomi."

Without a second thought, Hitomi pushed Van so he would fall into the pool. One problem with her plan. Van anticipated it and grabbed her arm so she would fall in too, Hitomi had dropped her towel and fell in the pool with Van, shrieking at the same time. When her head came back up from under water, she glared at him yet again. He was smiling and trying so hard not to laugh. "Oh, you are soooo gonna get it Sparky."

Soon she was by his side and one quick motion had him underwater, holding his head under. After a few moments, she released him so he could breathe.

"Let the water war begin, Kanzaki."

With that said, indeed a water war began. Not only was it between him and Hitomi, but they brought in Yukari and Amano when he finally showed up. The only reason they stopped the war was because a chaperon came to tell them they had a half hour left. The teens all got out of the pool and headed into the locker rooms to dry off and change. They all came out later in the clothes they had brought before, only Van added a jacket. Lucky for them there were hair dryers in the bathrooms that they used. Taking all their stuff, they all headed back towards the buses, ready to go back home.

After tossing their bags back onto the bag holder, the class all boarded the buses and left for the high school. Some of the students were as hyper as ever while some were dead tired. Van was relaxing a bit when he felt something on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw Hitomi had rested her head on his shoulder while she slept peacefully. With a smile on his face, he took the jacket he wore off and covered her with it. Then, relaxing in his seat again, he also drifted off to sleep.

* * *

It was about 5 in the morning when they all arrived back at the high school. The sleeping seniors woke themselves up as they started to get up. Yukari looked over to see Van and Hitomi still asleep, Van's head resting on top of Hitomi's. With a smile, she shook Van's shoulder until he woke up. "Morning sleepy head. We're here."

"Thanks." Van looked over at Hitomi and smiled, deciding just how to wake her up. Deciding on being nice, he gently pushed her shoulder back and forth like before, waking her from slumber. "Five more minutes."

"Come on Hitomi. Time to go home."

Looking up at him, she yawned and made motions to get up. They eventually got off the bus and grabbed their bags. Waiting in front of the school, Van and Hitomi sat there until Van's older brother, Folken came. "Come on you two. I have to get to work."

Quickly, the teens grabbed their stuff and threw it in the car, Van getting in the front while Hitomi sat in the back. "Thanks Folken."

Folken smiled at Hitomi. He always did like that girl. Sure she was rough around the edges, but she was the best thing for Van. Even he thought Van had a crush on Hitomi, but wouldn't say anything about it. Silently, he drove over to the Kanzaki house to drop the girl off. When he got there, he looked back to see she was asleep. Van sighed and got out of the car, taking their bags out of the trunk, then reaching in to get Hitomi. "Go ahead Folken. I can walk from here."

"See you tonight Van." With that, Folken took off towards Fanalia, the company he worked at.

Van carried Hitomi bridal style up the stairs to her door. Silently praying someone was awake, he knocked, or rather kicked at the door. Maaya opened it and smiled. "Just bring her upstairs please. I'll get the bags. The mattress is still up there for you too Van. I don't want you walking home when you're this tired."

"Thank you Mrs. Kanzaki." Doing as she said, Van walked up the stairs to Hitomi's room, which was open just a hair. Pushing it open all the way, he walked inside and placed her on her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She shifted positions in her sleep until she was comfortable and continued sleeping. With a small smile on his face, Van looked out her door to see the bags were right outside it, Maaya returning to her room.

Shaking his head, Van rubbed his eyes and then made himself comfortable on the mattress on the floor. Taking the blanket provided, he yawned then fell into a most peaceful sleep.

* * *

--That's all for now! This one was just soooooo long!!! 15 pages on Word. Damn. The next chapter will probably be the day before they leave for college and possibly including some conversations while at college. Not sure yet. The story won't really pick up until the fifth or sixth chapter. Oh and the song is _Twilight_ by Vanessa Carlton. 

Well, I'm off! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out next week. Ja ne!--


	3. Separation and the Test of Friendship

~*~Hello there people! Has a week flown by already? I guess so. Time to update then. Here we go! Warning, I jump around a lot in this chapter… You'll see what I mean…~*~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_Chapter 3: Separation and the Test of Friendship_**

No words entered his mind at the moment. Here he was, standing outside her house, gazing up at the door knowing she was expecting him, but his feet wouldn't move. Van didn't want to go inside. If he did, he would have to say goodbye to her. Hitomi was leaving for college the next morning and made it clear the last person she wanted to see before she left was him. Their car was all packed up and in less than 24 hours, Hitomi would be gone. 

Even though he had to leave next week, Van didn't like the idea of Hitomi leaving him behind. Shaking his head, he sat on the curb to think things out. Van had decided to walk over today to give him time to think and apparently that didn't work. He had known Hitomi almost four years. It seemed like so much longer to him. What was he going to do without his best friend? Now Van understood what Hitomi meant that night when she asked if he was scared. 

Staring at the ground, Van didn't know what to do. So deep in thought he was, Van didn't even hear footsteps come over to him. "Van?"

Head snapping up, he turned and stared up at the woman before him. "Hi, Mrs. Kanzaki."

The woman frowned and sat down beside him, placing her groceries next to her. "Is there something wrong?"

Sighing, Van turned to the woman who had become a second mother to him. "I don't know what to do. Part of me really wants to go in there and support her, but…"

"But if you do, you know you have to say goodbye." His maroon eyes turned towards her blue ones as he nodded. Maaya just smiled. "Oh Van. It's not really a goodbye, but more like a good luck until we meet again. You never truly say goodbye to someone you care about, and I know just how much you two care about each other. Just think Van. If it is this hard on you, imagine what it's like for her. She's going just so far away, all alone. Hitomi doesn't know anyone there, but she is determined to succeed and prove herself to everyone. But she didn't want to go to college for a long time."

That got his attention. "Why's that? She's smart and talented. There's no reason she shouldn't go."

"She didn't want to go because that would mean leaving you and everyone here behind."

Looking away from the older woman, Van sighed and, in an almost whisper, said, "I don't want her to leave either."

Maaya smiled at the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know. But be proud of her. She never would have found the strength and courage to even think of going before you. Hitomi said she told you of what happened before. If it wasn't for you, Van, I don't think my daughter would even be alive today. She only used to talk about how she wished to be dead and now she talks of becoming a teacher, helping others with their problems. Do you think she can do it, Van?" After a moment, the raven haired boy looked up at her and nodded. With a smiled, she continued. "Then tell her. You are the one she needs to hear it from the most."

After taking a deep breath, Van nodded and got up to help Maaya with the groceries. "Thank you, Mrs. Kanzaki."

"I should be thanking you… for giving me my daughter back. Now go on. She's waiting for you."

Sighing, Van handed the bag back to Mrs. Kanzaki and headed up the steps. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door and waited. Inside, Van could hear footsteps and the door soon flew open. There Van was met with emerald eyes and a smile. "Van! I'm glad you came."

"Hey Hitomi. Sorry I'm late."

With a wave of her hand, Hitomi smiled. "Don't worry about it. We've been running around lately getting my last minute things." With that, Hitomi yanked Van inside, leaving the door open for her mom. Instead of going up to her room as usual, Hitomi took Van's hand and lead them to the back yard and out towards the wooded area behind her yard. 

"Hitomi, where are we going?"

"Just be quiet and come on." Van smiled and let Hitomi drag him wherever she wanted. For some reason, it felt good to have his hand in hers. Soon, Hitomi stopped walked when they reached a clearing. The emerald eyed girl turned and looked at Van, forgetting she was still holding his hand. "Van, I'm really scared."

"Why? What scares you Hitomi?"

"I don't want to leave everyone behind. I mean, this actually felt like home since my dad died. What if I can't take it?"

Van shook his head and took a step closer to her. "Hitomi, I know you can do it. You are a strong person and you know what you want in life."

"Do I? I'm not so sure."

Raising an eyebrow, Van looked at Hitomi completely. "Why are you doubting yourself?"

With a sigh, Hitomi dropped his hand and walked off a bit. "It's just… I've never been really good at anything. I'm not really a people person, as you can tell. What's it going to be like for me in college? I'll be all alone again."

Suddenly, Hitomi felt two arms snake around her waist and pull her back into Van's chest, her arms resting on top of his. "Hitomi, I know you're scared and I understand why. But you are never alone. Whenever you need me, just say so and I'll be there. It doesn't matter what I'm doing. I promise I will be there for you, forever."

"But Van..."

"No buts. I have never broken a promise to you and I don't plan on doing it now. Don't hesitate to call. Plus, you have my screen name and email address. As long as I walk this Earth, I'll be there for you. Never doubt that."

He could feel Hitomi relax against his chest, telling him he had gotten through to her. And he meant every word too. He would always be there for her, no matter what.

"What am I going to do without you, Sparky?"

With a smile on his face, Van answered, "You'll probably get someone new to replace me, 'Tomi. Maybe a boyfriend or do you plan on being a heartbreaker?"

Spinning around in his arms, Hitomi looked up at him, the two still very close together. "That's not even funny."

"What? I think you'll definitely be the heartbreaker."

"I meant about the replacing you part. No one will ever replace you, Van."

His smile got softer as he placed his forehead against hers. "Good answer. That was my biggest fear."

Raising an eyebrow and adding a smirk to her lips, Hitomi replied, "Oh? Big scary Van Fanel was afraid? Perish the thought."

A small laugh escaped his lips as he gazed into her emerald eyes. Oh, how he was going to miss her. 

"Hey Van?"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever did happen to that chicken doing Yoga?"

"Oh man, are we back to that again? I swear it must have just run off when you came by!"

Laughing, Hitomi backed out of the embrace, much to Van's disappointment. "Come on Sparky. Mom's waiting for us."

Nodding, the two headed back to the house where the delicious smells of dinner traveled in the wind. Upon entering the Kanzaki household, Van discovered three extra people in the living room. "Well, it's about time you two got back."

Sitting there was Varie, Folken and Merle, who was smiling at Van with this weird look in her eye. It was mischievous yet sympathetic at the same time. Van looked over at Hitomi who just smiled. "I wanted all of my family here." Van returned her smile and they all sat around the table as one big family for dinner.

~*~Skipping the meals as usual… I really don't know why I do. I just do.~*~

After dinner was over, the families went to sit and talk in the living room while Hitomi and Van went up to her room. Van was amazed when he walked into her now almost empty room. 'It just doesn't seem right.' They both flopped on top of her bed and looked up at the ceiling, waiting for the other to start the conversation.

"Call me as soon as you get settled, okay Hitomi?"

"Of course. I'll tell you all about my roommate and everything."

"What was her name again?"

"Millerna."

"Sounds pretty. Maybe you could set us up or something."

"Van! Arg! You're such a guy."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Van sat there and waited for her snide comment which didn't come. Curious, Van sat up and looked at her to see a single tear fall from her eyes. "Hitomi?"

The emerald eyed girl looked at him with such sadness in her eyes and launched herself into his chest. "Oh Van. I'm going to miss you so much."

Never had Van seen Hitomi cry. She was just not the type of person who would let tears fall, yet here she was crying her eyes out not because she had to leave home, but because she was going to miss _him. Slowly, Van put his arms around her and tried to comfort her, moving his hand in small circles on her back. "Shhh. Don't cry. It's not goodbye, but rather a good luck until we see each other again. Don't waste your tears. We'll talk all the time you'll think I'm right there."_

"But…"

"Not buts. We'll spend all the breaks together. Don't worry. I'm the one who should be worried."

Hitomi pulled back and looked up at him with watery eyes. "Why?"

"I won't be there to protect you."

Raising an eyebrow, she gave him a weird look. "Excuse me?"

Immediately Van knew she took that the wrong way. "That's not what I mean. I know you can take of yourself physically, but I'm not too comfortable with the fact you'll find someone new to pour your heart out to. Where will that leave me?"

With a small smile, Hitomi shook her head. "Listen up Sparky. If there will be someone I do that to in college, they will be a temporary replacement until I see you again. No one will ever take your place. Not now, not ever. I promise."

Smiling, Van pulled Hitomi to him in a big hug. "I'm holding you to that."

"Van! Hitomi! Come down here please."

Reluctantly, Van let Hitomi out of his arms as they got up and walked down the stairs to the living room. A huge wave of sadness hit him at that very moment when he realized this was it. Varie was standing there with Folken and Merle. When the two teens came down, the group turned to the couple. Varie walked over to Hitomi with a sad smile on her face. "We must be heading home now dear. Please do take good care of yourself and do not hesitate to call if you need anything, anything at all."

"Thank you, Mrs. Fanel." Varie quickly took the girl into a hug embrace as tears formed in her eyes. She had always thought of Hitomi as another daughter to her and had her suspicions that Van had a crush on Hitomi. She wouldn't mind having the girl legally become her daughter that way.

After letting go, Merle came and hugged Hitomi. "Goodbye Hitomi."

"Take care of yourself Merle." She hugged Merle back just as strong. This all was just so very painful.

Soon after the embrace ended, Folken stood in front of her. "Seriously do not hesitate to call for whatever reason. That includes myself. Even I would drop everything if you needed something." With that, he took the smaller girl into him in a big hug.

Now that was completely shocking. Sure Hitomi was close with this family, but Folken never acted this way. 

After he released her, she nodded, afraid of her own voice as she realized who the last person left was. Van.

The said male looked at her with painful eyes. Slowly he came forward and took her into his arms. Lending forward to whisper into her ear, Van said, "Keep your window open tonight." With a small nod, Hitomi let one tear fall from her eye as she let him go. Van gave her a small smile and reached over to brush her tear away. "I wish you the best, Hitomi. That's what you deserve, nothing less."

"Oh Van… Good luck to you too. I will miss you all so much." 

With sad eyes, the Fanel family left the Kanzaki house, separating two best friends for a long length of time, tears running down both their faces.

~Later that night~

Hitomi lay on her bed, staring up at the stars that glowed in the dark on her ceiling. Her eyes refused to close even with the late hour it was. Suddenly, there was a tap on her window. Hitomi sat up straight and quickly opened the window to let in the late night intruder. "Guess you couldn't sleep either, Sparky."

Van stood up and gazed at her. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"We've already established many times that I'm not, but I'll survive." Hitomi looked around her now empty room and sighed. "You want to stay one last time?"

Van looked at her with a surprised look in his eyes. There was no mattress on the floor this time. "Do you really want me to?"

Receiving a small nod, Van smiled softly and agreed to stay. Looking around the room, he searched for something to sleep on. Hitomi sighed. "Van, come on. I have a feeling you won't rape me in the middle of the night. Come here."

Looking over, Van saw Hitomi in her bed under the covers. "I'm not sure… What will your mom say in the morning?"

"Probably good morning."

Sighing, Van slowly moved towards her bed and climbed in, under the covers. He felt Hitomi place her head on his shoulder so he wrapped his arm around hers, subconsciously bring her closer to him. "Good night, Van."

"Good night Hitomi."

With that, the two fell asleep in each other's arms.

~*~In the morning~*~

Maaya went into her daughter's room to wake her from slumber to come upon something that at first shocked her, but allowed to her smile as well. Before her was Hitomi pressed up against Van with her hands on his chest while his arms were around her back and waist. Both were on their sides, facing each other. 

Feeling bad about breaking up the cute moment, knowing in the back of her head nothing would have happened, Maaya went over and began to shake Hitomi out of her deep sleep. The emerald eyed girl looked up into her mother's blue eyes and blinked. Mrs. Kanzaki smiled. "It's time, Hitomi. You might want to wake him up too. His mother might wonder where he is.

After her mother left the room, Hitomi turned and looked at the sleeping Van. Gently, Hitomi got up, took the clothes she had out, and went into the bathroom to shower and change. When she came back, Van was still asleep, but he had this concerned or frustrated look on his face as his hand moved as if it was looking for something. Smiling, Hitomi kneeled by the bed and held her hand out so he would find it. Eventually, his fingers intertwined with hers and his eyes slowly opened to gaze into hers. She smiled a sad smile. "Morning sunshine."

Van smiled back, released her hand and stretched. "I guess it's time." Receiving a sad nod, he threw the covers aside and climbed out of bed as she stood up. Maroon eyes clashed with emerald as they looked at each other, not wanting to do what had to be done.

Taking her hand, Van led Hitomi downstairs. Kenji and Maaya were at the car waiting for her, being as patient as they could. They'd have to get on the road soon, but they didn't want to rush the two's goodbyes.

When they reached the bottom steps, Hitomi turned to Van. "This is it, Van."

"Yeah." The two shifted a bit before Van took her into a big embrace which she returned. Time seemed to stand still, if only for that moment. Van didn't want to let her go, but knew he had to. Slowly, they broke away from each other, not daring to look into the other's eyes. 

"Good bye, Van."

"Good bye, Hitomi."

With that, she turned and got into the car, looking out the window at him to wave. The car began pulling away from him. For some reason, Van ran after the car, still not ready to let her go. "Hitomi! Don't forget me!!"

Rolling down her window, Hitomi shouted back, "As long as you don't forget me, Sparky!"

With a smile, Van stopped running and just watched her leave, whispering to himself, "I'll never ever forget you."

~*~A few weeks later~*~

Van came into his dorm room and quickly started up his laptop, signing online as fast as the little machine could go. He had been so busy lately that he didn't have time to even call her since she left. Van silently prayed she was online. While he was waiting for the computer to go, he thought back to the day before he left.

_~Flashback~_

_The whole family had gone out to eat, inviting Mrs. Kanzaki and Kenji as well. They all smiled and talked while Van remained miserable. The one person he wanted there wasn't. _

_Looking up from his plate, Van glanced over to the blue eyed woman. "How is she doing?"_

_Maaya looked up and over at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. She smiled at him. "She's doing okay. I haven't been able to talk to her long, but she called this morning to ask me to wish you luck."_

_"Oh… okay. Thank you." Van returned to staring at his plate while the mothers exchanged a worried glance between each other. Van had been miserable since she left, rarely smiling. And to think that was only maybe a week ago!_

_After the meal was finished, Maaya went over and hugged Van. "Good luck to you, Van. Don't hesitate to call anytime. We're here for you."_

_"Thank you, Mrs. Kanzaki."_

_Kenji walked over to him and shook his hand. "Good luck, Van."_

_"Thanks."_

_"Don't worry. She'll never forget you."_

_Van looked at the boy strangely, then nodded. "Thanks kid."_

_The two left and soon so did the Fanels. When they got home, Varie noticed the answering machine blinking, meaning there was a message. "Van, could you check the machine?"_

_"Sure mom." Sighing, Van walked over to the machine and hit the button. The voice that came out of it was one he didn't expect to hear._

_"Hey Sparky! It's Hitomi. So, tomorrow's the big day, huh? I wish you the best Van. You'll do fine! College is fun. My roommate Millerna is nice. She says hi, by the way. It'll keep you busy. Just wait. Soon you'll have more friends than you can even count! I have faith in you Van. Whenever you get your computer set up, email or IM me. You know the addy and screen name. Well, before this thing cuts me off, good luck and sorry I wasn't there! Ja ne!"_

_Van sat there shocked at the voice he had just heard. A small smile played on his face as he pushed the button again and again, just to hear her voice._

_~End Flashback~_

Van smiled at the memory. Soon, his computer got the sign in thing up. Working quickly, Van signed in and smiled as he saw she was online too.

~

AngelWings: Hey there stranger

MysticEyes: Hey there Sparky!! Long time no chat!

AngelWings: I know! I've missed you. 

MysticEyes: ditto…I can't believe you kept that sn I gave you

AngelWings: why? 

MysitcEyes: not really a guy's type of sn…

AngelWings:  what? Would you prefer arrogantstubbornprince ?

MysticEyes: lol… okay okay

AngelWings: How are you doing 'Tomi?

MysticEyes: Better then I thought I would be. And you? How's college treating you thus far? You've been there a whiel already…

MysticEyes: *while

AngelWings: it's okay. 

MysticEyes: how's the roomie?

AngelWings: he's cool. Kinda weird though.

MysticEyes: oh?

AngelWings: he's name's John. He's really into games, computer or whatever. Makes funny noises randomly and sometimes runs into the closet. Not too sure what he has in there but I'm not sure I want to find out. He's an artist with a psych major

MysticEyes: lol… sounds exciting.

AngelWings: so, how's your roommate?

MysticEyes: she's nice. Theatre major. Doing some minor work in business. Her dad owns some company but she won't say what.

MysticEyes: she says hi.

AngelWings: *sits up straight and fixes hair* hi

MysticEyes: *shakes head* I worry…

AngelWings: as well you should. I wouldn't have it any other way.

MysticEyes: *rolls eyes* Well, I'm gotta get going. Some stuff to do

MysticEyes: *sigh* Millerna wants me to give you her sn

AngelWings: okay….

MysicEyes: it's SpoiledRottenPrincess

AngelWings: and you had a problem with mine…. because….?

MysitcEyes: ttyl Sparky,

AngelWings: lata 'tomi

~

Van sighed. Sure, it wasn't a long time chatting, but it was something. Suddenly, a pop up window asked if he would accept a message from SpoiledRottenPrincess. Shrugging, Van accepted the message.

~

SpoiledRottenPrincess: hey there cutie

AngelWings: ummmm hi.

SpoiledRottenPrincess: Hitomi has told me all about you. You sound like a great guy.

AngelWings: …thanx

SpoiledRottenPrincess: are you and her like an item? The way she talks about you and the stories I wasn't quite sure…

AngelWings: me and Hitomi? No… we're just best friends.

SpoiledRottenPrincess: no? oh, then you have to come visit so I can see this fantastic best friend of hers…

AngelWings: I'd have to check my schedule and all…

SpoiledRottenPrincess: whenever. I look forward to meeting you. *wink*

SpoiledRottenPrincess: oh shoot. gtg. I have a class now. Lata!

AngelWings: cya…

~

'Okay, so Hitomi's roommate is a complete flirt. Why am I suddenly worried?' Shaking his head, Van put up his away message, silently hoping that no other "interesting" people IMed him. 

Van got up and grabbed his bag on the way out the door. He had one more class for the day. As he passed the closet, he knocked lightly on the door. "Hey John. Did you check the mail before?"

"Nope."

"I'll take a look then. Later."

"Cya roomie."

Shaking his head, Van left the room and headed for his class on the other side of campus.

~*~A month and a half later~*~

AngelWings: So let me get this straight… your roommate is a born actress but her father wants her to train and learn to take over the family business?

MysticEyes: pretty much

AngelWings: what about her older sister?

MysticEyes: she's running now, but refuses to marry so far… millerna's dad wants her to marry some other company's son so they can become one big company.

AngelWings: that's messed up

MysticEyes: I agree

AngelWings: so tell me about this guy… what was his name?

MysticEyes: his name is Syaoran. He's my friend Sakura's boyfriend.

AngelWings: are you crushin on your friend's boyfriend?

MysticEyes: *rolls eyes* yeah right… he's just a good friend. He says he has a guy he wants to introduce me to, but I don't think so.

AngelWings: why not?

MysticEyes: not interested

AngelWings: right… I understand… playin hard to get… 

MysticEyes: Van Fanel! Don't be a baka.

AngelWings: a what?

MysticEyes: an idiot… you don't even know Japanese anymore?

AngelWings: I haven't taken it in a long time!

MysticEyes: baka

AngelWings: be nice…

MysticEyes: how's that roommate of yours... John?

AngelWings: he's okay. When he's not in here, the dinning hall, class or at his girlfriend's (commuter), he's in this girl's room. She's cool. I met her a few times. I think he's eating all her food though.

MysticEyes: I'd hit him if he ate all my food.

AngelWings: oh she hits him too...

MysticEyes: I think I'll like this girl… name?

AngelWings: Danielle. Forgot the last name.

MysticEyes: what do you think of her?

AngelWings: she's nice. A music education major, just like you, a writer, huge anime fan… she has her entire wall covered in anime pictures. It's so cool looking

MysticEyes: sounds nice… so…

AngelWings: so what?

MysticEyes: you really are a baka aren't you?

AngelWings: what??

MysticEyes: what else about her? You seem to be interested… *wink*

AngelWings: don't even start, Kanzaki

MysticEyes: tell me more

AngelWings: *sigh* she's from America. I think she said New Jersey. She is definitely sarcastic and has the quick wit, kinda like you. Let's see… used to play soccer, softball and basketball, but one by one gave them up. She likes theatre a lot and music. She writes fanfictions, poetry and is working on a fiction story… I think she also wrote a musical with lyrics, but couldn't write the actual music yet. Oh, and is practically addicted to Coca Cola. (A/N: I don't own that)

MysticEyes: anything else?

AngelWings: she's kinda antisocial at first, but once you get to know her, she opens up and is so random and hyper.

MysticEyes: so when's the wedding?

AngelWings: it's not like that

MysticEyes: come on, Sparky. How long have you been there?

AngelWings: a month and a half

MysticEyes: how long have you known her?

AngelWings: same about of time

MysticEyes: so go for it!

AngelWings: I don't think so

MysticEyes: what does she do when you walk into the room?

AngelWings: well, she smiles and tells me to come on in.

MysticEyes: what are you usually there for?

AngelWings: to talk or get John

MysticEyes: so… make a move! 

AngelWings: Hitomi….

MysticEyes: tell me, do you like her?

AngelWings: well… maybe…

MysticEyes: so try it

AngelWings: but she's more of a loner… I mean John describes her as antisocially friendly

MysticEyes: …. That makes no sense… it's an oxymoron

AngelWings: it suits her well

MysticEyes: you said she warms up when you get to know her… so get to know her… ask her out

AngelWings: I'll thnk about it

AngelWings: *think

MysticEyes: good boy

AngelWings: is this the part where I roll over and play dead for a doggie treat?

MysticEyes: better make it good or no treat

AngelWings: woof

MysticEyes: gotta go to my internship. Later Sparky

AngelWings:  cya

~*~sophomore year~*~

MysticEyes: okay, so tell me about this again?

AngelWings: okay, Inu Yasha is a hanyou, half dog demon half human. Kagome is a girl from 1997. she falls into a well at the shrine she lives at and falls about 500 years into the past. She doesn't know what's going on and looks around. There pinned to a tree is Inu Yasha. He has this spell on him to make him sleep basically. Kagome get captured, taken to the village where it is found out she is the reincarnation of Kikyo, the old miko who died 50 years before. Kikyo had sealed Inu Yasha to the tree.

MysticEyes: didn't you say something about a relationship between the hanyou and the miko?

AngelWings: yeah, they had one but they were tricked into betraying each other.

MysticEyes: fun

AngelWings: anyway, so Kagome is attacked and Inu Yasha somehow wakes up from the spell. She runs to the forest where he is and he keeps calling her Kikyo cuz she looks like her. She tells him her name, demon attacks, Kagome takes out sealing arrow releasing the half demon and he saves them all. Before that, the demon ripped out this jewel from Kagome's side called 'Shikon no Tama'. It a very powerful jewel both demons and humans want. Anyway, so Inu Yasha wants it for himself and tries to get it from Kagome. But the current miko of the village, Kaede, who was also Kikyo's younger sister, puts this rosary around his neck. Whenever Kagome says "oswari", he goes crashing to the ground. A restraining spell.

MysticEyes: wish I had one of those…

AngelWings: *ahem* so, fast forwarding a bit, the jewel gets broken into hundreds of pieces and get shot out to different parts of the world… or just Japan I think. Anyway, now Kagome and Inu Yasha have to work together to get all the jewel pieces back.

MysticEyes: sounds cool… Danielle told you about this?

AngelWings: yep

MysticEyes: how are you two doing anyway?

AngelWings: oh we're doing great. Thanx for pushing me to ask her out.

MysticEyes: how long has it been?

AngelWings: about a month

MysticEyes: congrats

AngelWings: thanx… she's going home in a little over a week for thanksgiving with her family. She wants me to go too.

MysticEyes: why not? A trip to America and everything…

AngelWings: kinda nervous meeting her family and all…

MysticEyes: oh please… just go! They can't be too bad… how long would you be gone for?

AngelWings: about five days

MysticEyes: that's cool… remember to tell me all about it

AngelWings: well duh

AngelWings: what about you and that guy?

MysticEyes: who?

AngelWings: Haru?

MysticEyes: what about him?

AngelWings: did you guys hook up?

MysticEyes: nope…

AngelWings: why?

MysticEyes: don't like him that way… he likes me though… to get him away, Millerna starts flirting like crazy! It's so funny… he's kinda scared of her…

AngelWings: ……..

MysticEyes: no comment? Shocker…

AngelWings: anyway, you going home for winter break this year?

MysticEyes: nope… still got that job. Mom and Kenji are coming here for awhile.

AngelWings: where are you guy's staying?

MysticEyes: Millerna has a place off campus. She's letting us stay there.

AngelWings: I thought she was your roommate…

MysticEyes: that was last year… I have a single this year.

AngelWings: oh… where have I been?

MysticEyes: last I checked Palas University

AngelWings: and you're all the way at Fried College. I still can't believe you got into that great school

MysticEyes: wow… you're still dwelling on that? Shouldn't you be concentrating on your girlfriend?

AngelWings: good point…

MysticEyes: I still want to meet her…

AngelWings: I know… if we're still together I'll try and bring her home over the summer for a week or two.

MysticEyes: maybe I could come by for spring break or something

AngelWings: that would be cool. You could probably stay in her room…

MysticEyes: cool

AngelWings: well, I g2g. ttyl 'tomi

MysticEyes: later Sparky

~*~March~*~

Van waited impatiently at the airport, Danielle at his side. She had long blonde hair, brown eyes and stood about 5'6". She was wearing a black tank top with jeans and sandals, her hair pulled back by a black bandana. Van was wearing a blood red t-shirt, tan pants and brown sneakers.

Suddenly, the gate they were standing by had people walk off, meaning the plane had finally arrived. Van was definitely nervous. He hadn't seen Hitomi in almost two years and in just seconds she would come off that plane. She hadn't come home over the summer before sophomore year because of a job. Hitomi did manage to come home for a week, but Van was on vacation and didn't come back until after she had left. 

Finally, a girl with shoulder length sandy brown hair came walking out of the terminal. Wearing a white t-shirt, jeans and sandals, the emerald eyed girl looked over and smiled as she saw the two. Van couldn't hold in his excitement and went running over to her, picking her up in his arms with a huge hug. 

"Gee, I wonder if you missed me."

After putting her down, Van smiled. "It's good to see you Hitomi. It's been so long."

"Tell me about it." Looking around him, Hitomi spotted the brown eyed girl. Smiling, she walked over to her. "You must be Danielle. I've heard so much about you."

The blonde smiled. "Likewise. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Van said you were kind of closed off to people at first, yet you don't seem that way now."

"I guess since Van talks about you so much, I feel like I already know you."

Both girls laughed as Van smiled. Eventually, they got over to the baggage pick up and brought Hitomi's bags to the car. 

As Van was driving, Danielle and Hitomi got to know each other even better, Van listening in. Eventually they got back to the dorms and began to carry Hitomi's things up to Danielle's room. "Typically you can only stay for two nights, but we arranged it so it seems like an emergency so you have the entire week."

"Arigatou."

Both Van and Danielle turned to look at her, Danielle smiling but Van a bit confused. "What?"

Danielle lightly smacked Van in the shoulder. "Don't be a baka. Arigatou is Japanese for thank you. You should know that from watching all that anime." Turning to Hitomi, she added, "I have _Inu Yasha on CD with English subtitles."_

"Cool. I started watching it on TV in English."

"It's so much better in Japanese."

"I'll go with that."

Van smiled. "Hey, am I going to hang out with my best friend at all while she's here or are you going to keep her all to yourself?"

Danielle pretended to think a moment. "Probably keep her all to myself."

"That's nice of you."

Hitomi just laughed. Van smiled as well. He always did like to hear her laugh. 

After dropping off he bags in Danielle's room, and after Hitomi admired the anime wall, Van took Hitomi back to his room. Danielle had some things to do for her class tomorrow, so that gave the two friends time to themselves. Immediately, Hitomi flopped on Van's bed and just looked up at the ceiling. Van, seeing as how his bed was taken, sat on a chair. He had a single this year. "How was the flight?"

"Boring. Good thing I brought some manga and my laptop. Kept me amused for awhile. How have things been?"

"Good, but I still miss the old days when we would just sit around and talk. I really did miss you, Hitomi."

"Likewise." Sitting up, Hitomi looked over at him. "You haven't changed much."

"I would say the same for you, but that hair. What happened?"

"Got tired of cutting it all the time. Why?"

"Nothing. It looks nice, that's all. The people there treating you alright?"

Sighing, Hitomi looked at him head on. "Van, I didn't come all this way to talk about things we talk about online."

Chuckling, Van smiled. "Then what do you want to do?"

"Show me around, twit."

Laughing, Van got up and headed towards the door, Hitomi right behind him. "Okay, let me leave a note for Danielle on the white board. I have to introduce you to John too."

"Cool."

With that, the two left. Van introduced Hitomi to John and his girlfriend Robin as well as show her around the school. He had arranged it so she could sit in on his classes, which she took full advantage of. The week was already flying by for the two.

Hitomi's stay at Palas University made Van think it was just like the old days. One time randomly, Hitomi started a water fight in the field with him and Danielle, which ended up involving practically everyone in the school, including the professors. A friend of Van's named Mark started taking an interest in Hitomi. For some reason, that didn't go over well with Van. Sure, Mark was a nice guy and all, but for some reason, it bothered him greatly. He didn't have to worry though. Hitomi did exchange screen names with him, but made it clear she wasn't interested. 

Soon, it came time for Van to take her to the airport. Danielle couldn't go because of an internship, but wished Hitomi a safe ride home, and of course exchanged screen names as well.

Now, Van and Hitomi were standing in front of the gate to take her back to college. Van smiled. "It was really great having you here, Hitomi. I didn't realize just how much I missed you."

"Same here, Sparky. Next time, you come to me. And umm could you tell that Mark guy I'm seriously not interested?"

"Sure thing."

After hearing the final boarding call, Hitomi hugged Van as he returned it. "I'll call as soon as I get there."

"You better." Finally letting her go, Van smiled and waved as Hitomi boarded the plane. He stood by the window and waited up until the plane finally left, waving goodbye to his best friend all over again. 

~*~One year later~*~

The phone rang. It was about two in the morning. A very sleepy Van rolled over and grabbed the phone, holding it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Van? Is that you?"

The voice sounded strangely familiar. "Yes, who is this?"

"Van, it's Mrs. Kanzaki. Sorry to wake you but…"

Van sat up as he now recognized the voice and realized she was crying. "What's wrong?"

"Van, I think you need to come home. I know you start Spring Break soon, but… It's Hitomi."

That woke him up. Van swung his feet off the bed and to the floor. "What's wrong? What happened??"

"She… she's been in a car accident."

Van felt his heart stop in his chest as he dropped the phone. His eyes went wide as shock hit him then. 'Hitomi? In a car accident…' Hearing Maaya's voice out of the dropped phone snapped him back to reality. "Sorry, what happened?"

"She was coming home for Spring Break, the first time she could in so long. Hitomi was coming here after stopping at a friend's house in Mystic Moon when she was hit by a drunk driver. Oh Van. Please, you need to come home."

Nodding to himself, he answered, "I'm on my way. I should be home in about three hours. Which hospital is she in?"

"Samurai General."

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can. Is Kenji with you?"

"No, he's on a field trip. He'll be home tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm on my way now. I'll see you soon."

"Please hurry."

"I will. Ja."

With that, Van quickly hung up the phone and got himself together. Quickly throwing random clothes into his suitcase, Van rushed to get out of there as soon as possible. Before leaving completely though, he ran over to Danielle's dorm room and began knocking on her door hard. He knew she was a heavy sleeper, so he just prayed her roommate was away already. Luck was on his side when a sleepy Danielle answered the door. "Wha… Van?"

"Sorry to wake you, but this is important. I can't talk long. I have to get back."

"Back home? Why?"

"Hitomi's been in a car accident." 

The girl's eyes widened and she was instantly awake. "Oh Kami, is she?"

"I don't know. Please, you know who my professors are. Could you email them and tell them why I'm missing today's classes?"

"Of course. Just go. Call me when you find out anything."

"I will. Thank you, Danielle." With a quick kiss on the cheek, Van headed down to his car, throwing the suitcase in the back. He quickly started it up and sped back home. 'Hitomi, just hold on. I'm coming.'

~

Van burst through the hospital doors and ran over to the main desk. By now it was five in the morning. "Please, where can I find Hitomi Kanzaki's room?"

The nurse looked up at him. "Are you a relative?"

"You could say that."

"Only relatives can see her."

Frustrated, Van was about to let loose on this woman when a softer voice broke through. "Nurse, this boy is my daughter's best friend and is considered part of our family." Both turned to see a weakened Mrs. Kanzaki trying hard to seem as if she means business. The nurse only nodded and Van followed Maaya to her daughter's room. "She's in critical condition. They only brought her out of the ER a half hour ago. My poor little girl…"

When he entered the room, Van's heart shattered into tiny pieces. There lay Hitomi with dozens of tubes and wires sticking out of her. So many bruises were on her, Van didn't think he could see her real skin color anymore. Slowly, he made his way to Hitomi's side and gently took her small hand in his. It was cold to the touch, making Van shiver slightly. He continued to stare at her, not really believing this had happened.

"Mrs. Kanzaki?"

Maaya turned to see the doctor standing in the doorway, waiting to tell her what was wrong. She left the room with the doctor as Van continued to sit at Hitomi's side. "Oh Hitomi. Why did you go back to that place?"

A few minutes later, a crying Maaya came back into the room and over to Van. "She's in a coma, Van. They think she'll come out of it in a few days though, but it all depends on this night. If she flat lines more then once, then…"

Van looked up at the woman and took her hand. "Don't think that. Hitomi's strong. I know she'll make it. I just know it."

Nodding, Maaya left the room to get some coffee, and to clear her head. Van would not leave Hitomi's side. "Come on Hitomi. You are strong. You have to wake up as soon as possible. You can't leave me like this. You can't leave me alone."

With that said, the maroon eyed boy slowly fell asleep next to his best friend's bed, the steady beeps from the heart monitor the only sound in the room.

~

Van was awakened to a crazy amount of beeps going off. Curious, he looked over and saw the heart monitor going crazy. Without hesitation, Van ran out of the room. "Nurse! Someone get a doctor quick!"

A half dozen doctors and nurses ran into the room, Maaya taken outside by Van as they worked on Hitomi.

"She's crashing!"

beeeeeeeee

"Give me the paddles, stat! Clear!"

*thump*

beeeeeeeee

"Give it more juice. Clear!"

*thump*

Van watched from the doorway as Hitomi's small body jumped with the electric shock sent into it. Tears were prevented from flowing down his face as he stopped Mrs. Kanzaki from watching, knowing it would be too painful. 'Come on, Hitomi! Come back!'

"Clear!"

*thump*

beeeeeeee

~*~A little over a year later~*~

The green lawn was covered with families and friends, watching as the senior class got up and received their diplomas. The Dean continued reading off the long list as the seniors sat in anticipation.

"Mr. Van Fanel."

Van stood up and walked over to the platform as some members of the crowd applauded. His eyes gazed over to see familiar faces. John was sitting with his fiancée, Robin, smiling knowing they both made it. Danielle was smiling at him, awaiting her turn to get her diploma. They had broken up over the summer, but were still on very good terms, staying very good friend. She started seeing this guy recently and was happy. Gazing over more, Van saw his mother, crying at the fact her son was not a baby anymore. Merle had come from college to see her big brother graduate. She was going to be a history teacher, graduating in two years. Folken sat beside her, smiling at his brother. He had come that morning from work, which was doing well. 

As Van was getting closer and closer to the diploma, he continued to search through the crowd. Reaching the Dean, he smiled and shook his hand while taking the diploma. After moving the tassel, Van looked out again and smiled. Those beautiful emerald eyes caught his as she smiled and applauded. Next to her were her mother and brother, who had come from college as well. He also was graduating next year. 'I'm glad she made it. It wouldn't have felt right without my best friend.'

Soon Van took his seat as the rest of the class graduated. When it was over, they all threw their caps into the air and cheered. After hugging his friends, Van went over towards his family. Varie hugged him tightly, as did Merle while Folken just shook his hand. Noticing his eyes dart around, Varie smiled. "Go find her, Van. We'll meet you at the hotel."

Smiling, Van gave her one last hug, then ran into the crowd until he found that emerald eyed girl. The hunt wasn't that long for he found her standing by a tree just outside the massive amounts of people. She saw him coming and smiled, meeting him halfway and hugging him as his arms went around her. "Congratulations, Sparky."

"Thanks."  Just a few weeks ago, Van was doing the same thing to Hitomi after she graduated. She was just so happy, Van nearly burst from his happiness for her. And now it was the other way around. 

Finally letting go, Hitomi smiled again. "Mom and Kenji said they'll congratulate you at the hotel. We're only a room down from your family. We'll meet you at the hotel after you're done celebrating."

"What, you don't want to come with me?"

Shaking her head, Hitomi continued to smile. "No. It's your night."

"Come on, 'Tomi. You dragged me with you."

Laughing a bit, Hitomi nodded. "Oh alright."

Without hesitation, Van grabbed her hand and pulled her into the crowd so they could begin to have fun. Danielle eventually ran into them and the girls hugged as the rest of the group came together. They all went out and partied at a night club, Hitomi sitting off to the side as they all danced. Even though Mark asked her repeatedly to dance, she politely refused each time. Van did spend most of his time with her, but ended up dancing a lot as well. 

Finally it was about one in the morning when they all separated and headed back to their respective lodging areas. Going up to their separate rooms, Van mouthed a good night to Hitomi who did the same back. 

They had done it. They had both graduated. The next day they would begin heading back home and after a few weeks of rest, begin looking for a job, but tonight they just needed to rest. It had been a hell of a four years. Their friendship had been tested and they passed. Hitomi almost died in that hospital, but miraculously pulled through and made a full recovery. She didn't even have any scars from the accident, only memories.

And as soon as the sun would rise on a new morning, the new chapter of their lives would begin. But right now, they just slept the night away.

~*~Comments are lovely. I decided to put all four year in one chapter so I could get to the "real story" quicker. The "timing" from now out won't be so random. Hope you liked it! I stayed up until four in the morning finishing this. I think I'll skip my first class… 

Next chapter will hopefully be up next week, either Monday or Tuesday. Ja ne!~*~


	4. Out in the World and Choices

--Hi all. This is where I insert a witty and hysterically funny author's comment… ::insert witty and hysterically funny author's note here:: I'm done…--

* * *

_**Chapter Four: Out in the World and Choices**_

The typing on computers was all that was heard throughout the office. People were hunched over them, letting their fingers fly over the keyboards. The door at one end of the hallway soon opened and at once, all the females in the room looked up. Once they saw who it was, immediately the mirrors came out and hair was fixed or makeup re-applied.

A tall man with raven hair and dark maroon eyes walked down the long hallway towards his own desk, all the while knowing all the female coworkers on that floor were either winking at him, staring or giving him seductive looks. Giving them all a nice smile, Van quickly went over to his seat. Sure they were all nice girls, but not what he was looking for.

Van had been working in Astoria for about three years now. Somehow when he went for the job, he received an equal position to Mrs. Kanzaki, who had been there for eleven years already. She responded by saying she liked where she was. There was also a rumor going around that no girl stayed in that higher position long anyway.

Sitting down at his desk, Van looked at the mountain of paperwork he had to do. Groaning, he glanced over at the clock to see it slowly ticking away. His lunch break never came soon enough. Sighing, he grabbed the first file and began plugging away at the computer, letting the minutes all flow together.

"Hey there. You look like you could use a short break." Snapping his head up, Van smiled at the kind woman. "Thank you, Mrs. Kanzaki. I'm almost done though."

"With that one file?"

"No, all of it."

The older woman looked very impressed, yet not shocked. Maaya knew Van was talented like that, which is why she put in a very good word for him when he applied for the job. It was nice to be able to see him every week day. At first it was a little weird, but everything was fine after only a few days.

Maaya looked over at the clock to see they had about an hour before lunch break. Smiling, she looked down at the boy she had considered a second son. "You never cease to amaze me sometimes, Van. Maybe the boss will let you out early for this."

At that moment, a tall man burst into the office, causing the women to either get all googlie eyed at him or for them to glare. He didn't pay them any mind and just walked over to where Mrs. Kanzaki was standing with Van. "I don't pay you to chit chat."

Maaya didn't look fazed at all. "I understand that, Sir. I was just taking a small break to check up on Mr. Fanel."

"I'm quite sure he can handle his own work, Mrs. Kanzaki. Think you could handle your own?"

Van stood up with that. "I'm sure she can, because she's usually the first one done every day, yet stays extra to help out the others."

The boss turned his blue eyes onto the raven haired man. "Don't you have your own work to do, Fanel?"

A small grin appeared on his face. "No sir. I just finished it."

That took the man by surprise. "All of it?"

"Yes sir."

Looking very impressed, the man nodded. "Very good Fanel. Take you lunch early today then. You'll have more work on your desk when you return."

"Thank you, sir."

With that, the blue eyed tall man left towards his own big office, leaving the two standing there. Maaya looked at where the boss had walked. "Well, that was something."

"What do you mean?"

Turning to him, Maaya continued, "Well, Mr. Schezar hardly gets impressed. I mean, he looks over you carefully, evaluates you, then leaves. That's it." Taking a look at her watch, she smiled. "You better hurry and leave before he changes his mind."

Smiling, Van grabbed his jacket and made his way towards the door, ignoring the girls' reactions to him. When he reached the door, he heard Mrs. Kanzaki yell to him. "Tell her hi for me!" Nodding, Van waved and left the office, heading over to the local high school.

* * *

"Oh, hi Mr. Fanel. I think she's just finishing up her class. You know the drill. Fill out the visitor's pass."

Van smiled at the school secretary. "Thanks Keiko." He filled out the usual paper work and placed the visitor's pass on his shirt. "See you tomorrow."

As he left the school office, Van noticed some kid walking through the hall, wandering around as if they were lost. He stopped in front of them and looked down. "Hey there. Are you lost?"

The kid slowly nodded. "I'm new. My first day here."

Smiling, Van asked in professional yet kind voice, "What class are you heading for?"

After looking at the schedule in her hand, the girl looked up at him. "Choir."

"It just so happens I'm on my way there as well. Care to join me?" After she nodded, Van began walking in the direction of the choir room. Upon seeing the double doors across from the small hallway leading to the theatre, he looked down at the girl. "Here we are. Right there in the corner is the choir room. Over there is the backstage entrance to the theatre and down that small hallway there is the band room. You ready?"

The girl nodded and Van knocked on the door before opening it up to the class. The teacher looked up, her emerald eyes glancing over at who had entered her classroom. Her long sandy brown hair was pulled up and held in place with a hair clip, a few loose strands falling to frame her face. "Hi there."

Van smiled. "Hey. I found a new student for you."

The teacher got up and walked over to the girl. "Welcome. I'm Ms. Kanzaki, the choir director. What's your name?"

"Ayame Endoso."

Walking back over to the piano, Hitomi picked up her clipboard and scanned it quickly. "Ah yes. Well, what voice part are you?"

"Soprano."

Smiling, Hitomi nodded and wrote that down. "Okay then. There on the left is the soprano section, the tenor in the middle front, basses behind them, and to the right are the altos. Welcome to the choir, Ayame."

The girl smiled and went to find a seat with her new section. Hitomi looked over at Van and smiled, which he returned. The few years had softened both of them, but not too much. Van's expression softened as he watched Hitomi interact with the students, getting them to sing like angels. All the years of pain and of becoming cold seemed as though it never happened. She was smiling and kind to all the students, but remembered to enforce discipline now and then.

After a few minutes of sitting there, the bell rang signaling the end of the period, causing all the students to pack up and walk out. "Good bye, Ms. Kanzaki, Mr. Fanel."

"See you tomorrow."

When all the students had left, Van got up and walked over to her. "You ready?"

After letting a sigh escape her lips, Hitomi smiled. "Where are we going today? Besides, I thought it was my turn to come get you, Sparky."

Smiling at the nickname, Van shrugged. "I finished early, so I thought I'd come see how horribly you're teaching. Those poor kids."

Playfully smacking his arm, Hitomi scowled. "Oh shut up Fanel."

"Be nice, Ms. Kanzaki. You never know when a student is watching. What kind of impression are you instilling?"

"You're horrible, truly horrible."

"It's a gift."

"So then why am I cursed?"

Van shook his head. "Come on. I only have so much time."

"Like I said before, where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"It better not be Burger King or Taco Bell."

"Shoot. Now I gotta think of something else."

Shaking her head, Hitomi grabbed her keys and wallet, then headed for the door, Van following. Hitomi, even though she was now a teacher, still refused to use a purse. From her college, she got a key holder she continues to wear around her neck with her keys and a wallet she received for free from the college hanging as well. "One day, Kanzaki, you will use a purse."

"I certainly hope not."

"Too feminine?"

"Too wussie."

"Same thing."

After smacking him again, Van laughed and led her to his car. He opened the door for her then walked around to his side. After starting the car, he pulled out and was soon driving down the street.

A few minutes later, Van pulled into the local diner he and Hitomi had almost always ended up going. The food was good and at a good price as well. When they went inside and got a table, Hitomi picked up the menu and scanned through it. "I don't know why I bother. I get the same thing every time."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Ha ha. Very funny."

The waitress came over and the two gave their order, chicken fingers for Hitomi and a plate of fries for Van. They always ended up eating off each other's plates anyway, so no real point for both to get meals.

As they were waiting, Hitomi brought up conversation. "So, did you unload your work on someone else today?"

Van smiled and shook his head. "I finished it all."

Raising an eyebrow, Hitomi questioned him. "Already? My mom tells me it's hard work."

"Well, I am the best. Oh, and your mom says hi."

Smiling, Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Tell her I said hi and that I can't on Friday."

"Can't what?"

Sighing, Hitomi answered. "Kenji is trying to set me up with this friend of his. We were supposed to meet on Friday for dinner."

"So what are you really doing on Friday?"

"Hiding out from them."

Shaking his head, Van sat back. "Hitomi, you know they are only worried about you. I mean you haven't dated in… how old are you now?"

"I know. I just haven't found anyone that interested me lately."

Van's ears perked up. "Lately?"

"Yeah."

"You mean you've been on a date?"

Eyes narrowing, Hitomi glared at him. "Well, yeah. In college."

"Who?!?"

"Two guys. Haru I went out with twice and there was this guy named Kenshin. We went out a few times, but I eventually set him up with this friend of mine named Kaoru. They were much better off together anyway."

"You never told me about this."

"Maybe because I thought you'd make a big deal out of it, kind of like you're doing now."

"Point taken."

At that point, the food came and the couple began to dig in, Van snatching some chicken as Hitomi grabbed some fries now and then. When the meal was finished, they paid the bill, each paying half, then left for Van's car.

As they were heading back to the high school, Hitomi turned to him. "Now remember, I have a few meetings this week as well as auditions for the higher choirs. Think you'll be able to eat all alone?"

"I'll try and survive without you, no matter how hard it is."

"Good boy."

"Woof."

Laughing, Hitomi shook her head. "You are so psycho."

"And yet you still hang out with me. What does that say for you?"

"I don't want to know."

All too soon they made it back to the high school, the bell to ring in a few minutes. Hitomi smiled at Van. "See you later, Van. Maybe we could catch a movie sometime."

Grinning, Van nodded. "As long as it's not 'Pirates of the Caribbean' again. I can't believe you bought the movie."

"Hey! It was great!"

"Do you have it completely memorized yet?"

"Very close."

"Figures."

"Later Sparky." With that, Hitomi got out of the car and walked over to the door of the building. Before she went inside, she turned around and waved at him, him returning it. After she went inside, Van smiled and drove back to work.

* * *

"Van Fanel. In my office, now."

The said man sighed as he got up to go to Mr. Schezar's office. It was now Tuesday, only one day since he had lunch with Hitomi. His work load had piled up immensely since then, but he still managed to get it all done in time. Mr. Schezar had been checking up on him day after day, but then just left, sometimes giving him a "good job Fanel".

'What could he want to talk to me about?'

Knocking on the door, Van heard a 'come in' and proceeded to enter the office. Seated at the large desk by the windows was his boss, reviewing some file in his hand. Without looking up, Mr. Schezar spoke. "Have a seat."

Without replying, Van did as he was told, sitting across from the tall man. He waited in silence as the file was looked over. Suddenly, the man looked over at Van and fully faced him, placing his hands on his desk. "So, I understand you've been working here only three years. Is that true, Fanel?"

"Yes sir." Van didn't know where this was supposed to be going. Was he going to get fired for something?!?

As if sensing his fear, the man smiled. "Calm down. I'm not going to fire you. I have no reason to." Looking over at his clock, the boss stood. "Come. We have much to discuss. Join me for lunch and we shall talk."

Blinking, Van nodded and stood up with him. "Yes, Mr. Schezar."

"Just call me Allen. You and Mrs. Kanzaki are the only ones who don't."

"Alright."

The two walked out of the office and over to the elevator, the women all watching. Mrs. Kanzaki looked up, slightly puzzled as to why Allen was taking Van somewhere. The two men soon walked into the elevator, went down to the first floor, and headed over to a small café on the other side of the street. They were seated right away and they ordered as well. When they received their food and drinks, Van had had enough. "Excuse me, Allen, but why is it that you wanted to see me?"

Allen smiled. "Cut right to the chase, huh? Alright." Placing his coffee down, he looked at the maroon eyed man. "I've been reviewing your work the past week and it does surprise me. Not only the finishing everything before lunch break, but the fact it is all pretty much perfect. You will go far in this business, Van, if you know exactly what you want and are willing to do anything to get it."

"Umm… thank you?"

Allen just smiled. "Yes, it was meant as a compliment. But tell me more about yourself, Van Fanel. How is it you can do such work at a fast pace? Something driving you?"

Van had to think a minute on that one. "Well, I've always been good with computers and the issues aren't too difficult."

"That may be, but there are still those in the office who are the same, yet still take longer. Is there something that makes you work harder to get everything done by lunch?"

"Well, at lunch I usually go eat with my best friend. She's a teacher at the high school, so I try to catch her on her lunch hour. That might be why."

Allen's eyebrows went up. "A female? Interesting."

Van wasn't dumb. He could see where Allen was going with that thought. "No, I don't hurry to meet her for that reason. She's my best friend. Nothing more."

"It's alright Van. You don't have to explain it to me. I believe you."

Sitting back, Van narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What was the _real_ reason you asked to see me?"

Impressed, Allen sat back. "You never cease to amaze me, Fanel. Alright then. Astoria has been handed a huge project that needs special attention. Now I have been told to select that one employee to handle the project, meaning a promotion after the success of it. You are one of the people I'm looking at for this position. There are a few others, but that's not important."

"Is this for the Rand account?"

Raising an eyebrow, Allen looked at him. "How did…"

"The files I was given briefly covered the blueprints of the deal."

"I see. Well then, I shall make my decision by the middle of next week."

Van smiled inwardly. This would be a big thing for him if he did get the account. Rand was a very popular company and advertising for it had to huge. Not only huge, but perfect. Of course whoever got the deal and did well on it would get a raise. Ever since he started, Van was looking forward to moving on up as quickly as possible. Then he would be able to move forward with his life, possibly really search for that one special person, after he was financially set, of course. That was what he promised himself. He didn't want a struggling family.

* * *

The rest of lunch flew by and then it was back to work. Van eventually relayed what had happened to Mrs. Kanzaki, which she was thrilled to hear. Now he looked forward to getting back to his apartment and just relaxing for the night. This had been one long day.

Lunch came the next day and, for some reason, Allen had invited Van to join him. It couldn't have been about the account since they already briefly talked about it. Could it be to confirm the rumor that Dilandau was up for the account as well? That was one person Van really didn't like. Ever since he started working there, he and Dilandau never got along, which gave Van another reason to land the account… to rub it in that psycho's face.

Here he was at the same café sitting with his boss. The chit chat was idle, but he could tell something was bothering Allen greatly. "Is everything okay?"

"You really are perceptive. Well, if you must know, my girlfriend dump- I mean we broke up last night, and it did not go well at all. I guess I wanted someone to talk to after this, which is why I asked you to join me. I knew the girls would have flipped, but Mrs. Kanzaki would have talked them into staying put. Sometimes that woman gets on my nerves."

Feeling the need to defend his second mother, Van spoke up. "She really is a wonderful person. She's just looking out for them and reminding them to get work out of the way first. That's the way she's always been."

"Now how would you know a thing like that?"

"Her daughter is my best friend. Mrs. Kanzaki is like a second mother to me."

Leaning back in his seat, Allen nodded. "I see. Well, back to the original topic, I've been in a slump since she… we broke up. With the banquet coming up in two weeks, I guess I'm a little nervous that I'll be the one without a girl on my arm that night."

"There's still time Allen. If you'd like, I could help you find someone. I know plenty of great girls."

Allen smiled. "I may hold you to that Fanel." After looking at his watch, he motioned it was time to head back to the office. The two men quickly stood up and left, after paying of course.

After Allen had gone back to his office, Van went to his desk and typed away, mentally thinking of all the girls he knew and if they would agree to help him. 'Let's see… Yukari? No, I think she's engaged to Amano, or even married by now. I'll have to ask Hitomi about that. Sachi? No, she's dating Matsu. Mila? No, she's with that guy Zach. I can rule out Robin. John would throw a fit if I asked his wife to do that. Mai? Nope, she's with Joey. Keiko is with that Yusuke guy and Meryl is running after that Vash guy. Sannosuke is with Megumi, so she's a no. I'll definitely have to sit down with Hitomi and see if any of her female friends are available.'

A cocky voice soon entered his ears, much to his distaste. "So, eating with the boss again. What are you trying to pull, Vaaaaan?"

He absolutely hated the way Dilandau said his name, which he knew. Sitting up in his chair and eyes still focused on the screen, Van replied. "Not trying to pull anything here. I don't need to."

"What's that supposed to mean??"

"Just what I said. I don't need to pull anything to beat you on that account."

"Ha. Don't be so sure of yourself. My work is getting better then yours."

"In your sick, twisted little mind maybe."

"It's a fact."

"Why don't you just get a job at Dornkirk like you keep bragging about? They may actually want someone like you there."

With that, Dilandau just "hmphed" and walked away, letting Van win this small battle. It left him even more determined then ever. He just had to get that account and he was willing to do anything to get it.

* * *

A backpack like object flew across the room as the owner flopped on the couch, a small weird noise emerging from their mouth. Hitomi was dead tired and was seriously debating whether or not to just fall asleep right there and then. Too bad for her, Hitomi's stomach decided she needed to eat instead. Groaning, she rolled off the couch and headed into the kitchen, looking for anything edible. Finding a package of Beef Ramen, she smiled and began to prepare it over the stove.

When it finally finished, she sat at her table with a coke in her hand, preparing to dig in….

-Ring-

Looking up and glaring at the phone, Hitomi got up and answered the damn thing. "Hello?"

"So you aren't too busy after all. Hitomi, why don't you just come over and get some real food? You're probably sitting there eating Ramen again. And the boy Kenji brought over is really nice."

"Hello to you too, Mom."

"If you were supposed to be busy tonight then you really should screen your calls, dear."

"Are you thinking of ways for me to avoid your calls?"

"I'm going to ignore that. Anyway, you should really…"

"Mom, just give it up please. I'll find someone when I'm ready."

A sigh was heard on the other end. "I know dear. I'm just worried."

"Don't be. Listen, my food is getting cold and I really am very tired. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright dear. Good night."

"Good night."

Hitomi hung up the phone and went over to the table, eating her food as fast as possible. When satisfied and seeing the only thing left to eat was the bowl itself, which was tempting, Hitomi sighed and placed it in the sink, then headed over to her bedroom. Releasing her hair from it's binding, she let it tumble down her shoulders. Her bed came into view and she was tempted just to fall on top of it and sleep. With the last of her energy, she changed into pajamas and then crawled into bed. After letting her body relax, she was about to fall into a nice comfortable sleep…

-Knock Knock-

Hitomi glared at her ceiling with this look of 'why me?' as she got up and went towards the door. Yawning, she undid the metal chain and opened it. "What?"

"Oh, sorry. Were you sleeping?"

"No, I just felt like going to the brink of sleep then snapping out of it at the last second. Thank you for your assistance."

"Anytime."

"What do you want, Van?"

The raven haired man was soon let into the apartment and walked over to the couch. He looked a little nervous about something, but in Hitomi's current state of mind, she didn't notice. "I repeat, what is it?"

How was he going to do this? Why did he agree to this? This was not going to go over well at all. Van thought back to what had happened that day to lead him to this horrible situation.

_-Flashback-_

_Van sat plucking away at the computer, slowly getting the file pile down. Taking some time to stretch his back, he looked at the clock to see he had a long way to go. Sighing, he continued to type into the computer, wishing he had gotten more sleep last night. His excitement got the better of him and kept him up, which he was now paying for. _

_The day seemed to go on forever as his work was slowly diminishing. As Van began his last file, a yawn slipped out of his mouth._

"_Oh, very hard at work I see."_

_That voice caught Van's attention as he whipped around to face its owner. "Hitomi? What are you doing here?"_

_The emerald eyed girl smiled as her sandy brown hair swayed slightly though restrained by that hair clip. "I had a free period today, so I thought I'd come and surprise you."_

_Smiling, Van stood. "I'm certainly glad you did."_

"_Van, I need you to look at…" The tall blonde haired blue eyed man stopped in his tracks as he saw that his new favorite employee was not alone. "Oh, and who is this?" Allen took in this girl fully, all the way from her tight fitting jeans to her button up violet shirt to her sparkling emerald eyes._

_Van didn't like the way Allen was looking at Hitomi. Not at all. "Mr. Schezar, this is Hitomi, my best friend."_

_Hitomi held out her hand to him. "Nice to meet you."_

_Allen took her hand in his. "The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you. And please, call me Allen." With that, he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it but never taking his eyes away from hers. _

_That really irked Van for some reason, not liking the looks Allen was giving Hitomi. Perhaps he was just being overprotective like a big brother would be. Yeah… that's it…_

_Hitomi turned her attention back to Van at that moment. "Well, I can see you're busy, so I guess I'll take a rain check on that lunch."_

"_Umm, that's okay. I'm sure Van can look at this later. Go ahead, Fanel. I'll see you later."_

_Van turned his attention completely at Allen that moment, confusion written all over his face. Allen's attention still lie on Hitomi, however, so he never received the confused look at all. "Okay, if you say so."_

"_See you when you get back. It was lovely meeting you, Hitomi."_

_She smiled at him a smile Van knew to be fake. "Same here."_

_With that, Allen walked away towards his office, looking back every now and then to check her out. When he was finally out of sight, Hitomi visibly cringed. "Well, don't I feel like a piece of meat."_

_Shaking his head, Van grabbed his jacket. "Sorry about that. Ready?"_

_She smiled a real smile to him. "Been waiting." With that, she took his hand and practically dragged him out of the office, noticing some of the girls giving her the evil eye. "Gee, this is a friendly work environment."_

"_They all just hate you for being able to go to lunch with the most gorgeous guy in the whole building."_

"_Really?!? Where is he? Can I meet him?"_

"_Ha ha… totally NOT funny." _

"_I thought it was. Anyway, what's close around here?"_

_After thinking for a moment, Van led her to a nearby café where they sat, talked and just enjoyed each other's company. "Hey, what was with that guy anyway?"_

"_Who? Allen?"_

"_Yeah, the pretty boy with the long blonde girly hair… whatever his name was."_

_Suppressing a laugh, Van replied. "That's Allen. He recently broke up with his girlfriend."_

"_Ahh, it all makes sense now. Whatever."_

_The conversation drifted in and out of many topics. All too soon, it was time for her to head back. "I'll walk you back to the office. I need to see my mom about something anyway."_

"_Okay." They headed back and when they entered the office, they both went over to Mrs. Kanzaki who was trying to help the new guy. "Okay, one more time. You go up to file, then scroll down to save and that's it."_

"_That sounds too easy. Are you sure?"_

"_I'm pretty sure."_

_Hitomi pitied her mother at that moment. "Hey mom."_

_Looking up, Maaya smiled. "Hi dear. How are you?"_

"_Good." Turning to what she found to be a rather tall woman, Hitomi smiled. "Hi. I'm Hitomi."_

_The woman smiled. "Millie."_

"_Sorry to interrupt, but may I borrow my mother for a moment?"_

"_Sure! I was just going to go get some lunch. I think it's pudding today! I love pudding!"_

_-Sweatdrop-_

_Maaya stood up and follow the two there. "What is it dear?"_

"_Well, I just thought I should tell you I have a meeting after school and won't be home until very late."_

"_Funny that your meeting is on the very same night as you were supposed to meet Kenji's friend."_

"_Life's funny that way."_

"_Oh alright dear. I'll talk to you tomorrow instead then."_

"_Bye mom."_

"_Bye dear."_

_Van and Hitomi turned to leave and Maaya went back to the computer. Van turned to her. "So do you really have a meeting?"_

"_Yes I do, as a matter of fact. I wouldn't lie to my mother, Sparky."_

_Smiling, Van just nodded. "Okay okay. I'll call you later, if you aren't dead tired."_

"_Bye Fanel."_

"_Bye Kanzaki."_

_With that, Hitomi smiled and waved as she left, receiving the same in return. Van turned and headed back to his little corner when he noticed Allen call him over. Walking over to the boss' office, Van tried to figure out what he could possibly want. 'Duh, baka. He had that file for you to look over.'_

_When he walked in, Allen smiled. "Sit down please, Van." Doing as he was told, he awaited what Allen had to say. After returning to his own seat, the blue eyed bastard, I mean man looked at Van with this weird grin. "Remember when I told you you'll go far in this business if you know what you want and are willing to do anything to get it?"_

_Nodding slowly, Van did not really like where this might be going._

"_Well then, you want the Rand account, correct?"_

"_Yes sir."_

"_Are you willing to do anything for it?"_

"_Pretty much."_

"_Alright then. So you'll get me a date with your friend there, Hitomi wasn't it?"_

_Van's eyes shot open as he immediately stood up. "Hitomi?!?!?"_

"_Yes. I find her to be rather interesting. I can't just ask her to the banquet, so I need to start dating her first. Keep in mind, Fanel, if everything goes well, you will have that account and everything that goes with it. You wouldn't want Dilandau to have it all instead, would you?"_

_Everything inside Van told him to reach over and punch that smirk right off of Allen's face, but that last little threat still hung in the air. 'If I don't do this, I won't get the account. If Dilandau gets promoted, he could fire me. This won't do at all. But can I really have Hitomi do this? All to save a job?' Van slowly sat back down in the chair, having an inner battle with himself._

_Allen took the opportunity. "Dilandau is doing some excellent work lately. He's been dying to work this account for awhile now. I wonder would he take this long knowing this very moment could either help his career, or cause it all to fall apart."_

_That did it. Van sighed and looked Allen in the eye. "Alright, Allen. I'll make sure you go out with Hitomi. Sunday alright for you? I know for a fact she's available then."_

"_That's fine. You're doing the right thing Van. And I think it would be wise not to tell her about this little arrangement."_

"_I figured that."_

"_Good boy. Now finish up your files and you can call it a day. I'll make dinner reservations at The Winged Dragon for 8pm. Make sure she's there, Van. Don't disappoint me."_

"_Yes sir."_

"_Good. You are dismissed." With that, Allen went back to his papers as Van slowly got up and left the room. How the heck was he going to do this? How did he end up trading Hitomi for a deal, a job? Hanging his head, Van went over to his desk and sat down. Suddenly, his stomach began to hurt, as if sensing the foreboding doom._

_-End Flashback-_

Another sigh escaped Van's lips as he looked over at his best friend. Her emerald eyes looked so heavy from a long day of work. She was in her favorite pajamas, a white tank top and a pair of plaid pj bottoms. Her hair tumbled off her shoulders as her sleepy eyes strained to focus on him and not just close.

"Long day at work?"

Hitomi plopped onto the couch and Van soon sat beside her. "Very long meeting. They want to fire a teacher for some reason that doesn't really make sense to me. Soon they went over all different kinds of procedures to insure nothing stupid happens and…" A yawn escaped her mouth and she shook her head. "And stupid them didn't serve any kind of caffeine."

"I thought you didn't drink coffee."

"I don't."

"Oh."

"Anyway, I'm just looking forward to relaxing a bit. What about you?"

"Umm, I guess you could say mine was eventful."

"That Dilly guy still bothering you?"

"Of course."

"Just punch him out or something."

"Very tempting, but no."

"Just my thoughts."

Shaking his head, Van looked away from her, trying to fit everything together in his head. How was he going to do this?

"Hey Van? Want to watch a movie or something?"

Smiling, he turned to her. "Which one?"

Looking over at her collection, Hitomi sighed. "Just randomly pick one. I really don't care."

Thinking for a moment, Van got up and picked up a video, sliding it into the VCR. Sitting back down, he brought Hitomi over to him so she could lay her head on his shoulder. The movie began and Hitomi sighed. "Captain Correlli's Mandolin. I love this movie."

"I know."

As the movie progressed, Van kept thinking about exactly how he was going to ask her. Allen made it clear to him Van couldn't just say he needed Hitomi to date his boss so he could get a well sought after account, not that he was going to say that. It had to be phrased just right or she would never do it.

Finally getting the courage to ask her, Van began. "Hitomi?"

"hmm?"

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"mmhmm."

"See, this guy at work, you met him already, well, he asked me to see if you would go out with him this Sunday. He just broke up with his girlfriend and needs to find someone to basically take his pain away. I told him all about you and he grew curious, so he wanted to meet you one on one. What do you think?"

"mmhmm…"

Raising an eyebrow, Van looked down to see Hitomi sound asleep, her head on his shoulder while her arms encircled his waist. Van found his arms to be around her as well. Sighing, Van picked her up into his arms carefully and headed for her bedroom. Once there, he placed her softly into her bed, pulling the covers up so they were just under her chin. Smiling, he bent down and gently kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Hitomi."

"hmmm…"

Silently, Van left the room and soon left the apartment, closing and locking the door behind him. Walking over to his car, he sighed. "I guess I'll just have to try tomorrow. I just hope it all works."

Van then got into his car and drove away, back to his own lonely apartment.

* * *

--::lets out huge breath:: I thought I'd never get it done in time! Granted it's 11:46pm, but hey, it's up while it's still Monday! So ha! Anywho, review please and I'll try and have the next one up in time. Ja ne!-- 


	5. Author's Note

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE_**

            Okay, here's the drill everyone. I am completely stressed out lately to the point I had a minor breakdown tonight. I'm going home on Tuesday for Thanksgiving Break and a much needed relaxation time. During this time I don't think I will be able to write, now that my mind is completely fired. When I get back, I have finals coming up that I _really_ need to study for. So I don't think I will be able to even look at my fanfics until about December 18th. 

            I thought I should inform all of you of this. Sorry everyone. I'm just not doing well at the moment. I will do the best I can to recover as quickly as possible and return to this soon. Thank you so much for reading my stories and giving me so much support. 

            Until I return, Ja ne.

                        ~Sakura onto Hitomi


	6. Transformation

--Thank you all who have waited patiently through my breakdown. Hopefully this chapter will be enough to express my thanks. Oh, and to save your sanity level trying to understand, Hitomi lives in an apartment. Special shout out to my best friend for the translations!!!

Also, this is my Holiday gift to all my readers. I worked hard in order to get this up in time for all of you. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!--

* * *

_**Chapter Five: Transformation**_

Stretching arms above her head, the emerald eyed beauty sighed as she threw off the covers. 'I guess Van tucked me in last night. I wonder how far we got in the movie. Oh well, doesn't matter.' Swinging her legs off the bed, Hitomi stood up and headed into the bathroom for her morning shower. The warm water cascaded down her back, washing away any pains down the drain. As relaxing as it was, Hitomi shut it off and grabbed a towel as she got out of the shower, drying herself off as quickly as possible. After wrapping the fabric around her body, she left the bathroom and entered her bedroom. Silently thankful it was Saturday, Hitomi grabbed her favorite denim jeans and a plain old black t-shirt.

Slowly heading into the kitchen, Hitomi reached into the cabinet and pulled out a package of beef ramen, setting it to the side as she began to boil the water. As she began to relax, letting the water bubble, the buzzer rang. Curious, Hitomi got up and hit the intercom button. "Hai?"

"Do you always answer people in Japanese?"

"Anta dato wakatterutoki dake. Anta no koto karakauno ga sukidakara." (A/N: basic translation: "_Only when I know it's you because I like to torment you."_)

"Since when did we become fluent?"

"Baka, watashiwa mukashikara nihongo shabetteruyo." (A/N: basic translation: "_I've always spoken Japanese, you idiot."_)

"Ah ha! I recognize baka! That's not very nice."

Smiling, Hitomi hit the button that would let him into the building and went to check on her water. Deeming it ready, Hitomi put the noodles in and walked over to the door. '3…2…1…'

-Knock Knock-

Smiling, Hitomi opened it slowly. "Gomennasai, anatano sagashiteru hitowa kokoniwa imasen. Anatano sagashiteru hitowa futatsu mokoudesu." (A/N: translation: _"sorry the person you're looking for does not live here, she lives 2 doors down"_)

Van rolled his eyes as Hitomi backed away, allowing him to walk in. Looking around, Van saw the living area the same as he left it last night. Glancing towards the kitchen, he smiled and looked back at her. "Water's boiling, Hitomi."

"Ahhh!!!" Hitomi ran from the door and into the kitchen, running straight for the pot. Smiling, Van shut and chained the door, seeing as she failed to do so. He knew right away what she was doing. "Which kind of Ramen is it this time? Beef?"

"Ha ha shut up! What did you want, Sparky?"

"Well, I'm grateful for English now. Arigatou."

"Smart ass."

"Better than a dumb ass."

"So is your whole purpose for being here to torment me?"

"Nope, only an added bonus."

"Then what do you want?" By this time, Hitomi's ramen was ready and she set two bowls down on the table, one for herself and one for her best friend. Picking up some chopsticks, Hitomi dug into the bowl. Van sighed and just sat on the couch. "Umm… I kind of need you to do something for me, Hitomi."

Without looking up, she replied. "What?"

Taking a deep breath, Van raced through what he had to say. "IneedyoutogooutwiththisfriendofmineandhewasinterestedinyousoItoldhimyouwouldgooutwithhimonSunday."

A moment passed in silence. The only thing Van heard was Hitomi's chopsticks fall into the bowl. Another moment passed as he heard her take in a big breath.

"YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!?!?!"

Van knew that tone very well and immediately shot up and began putting distance between him and the outraged girl. "Well, you see, this guy really needed a booster so to speak, so I mentioned you and he really wanted to, umm, well…"

There weren't any words to describe how angry Hitomi looked at the moment. Forgetting all those useless counting exercises, her temper went full throttle as she began to chase him. "YOU BETTER RUN! WHEN I GET YOU I'M GONNA KILL YOU FANEL!!!!!!!"

The maroon eyed man ran with all his might around her apartment, trying to keep his head where it was. He didn't doubt her when she said she would kill him. 'Okay, gotta convince her to do this and that she's doing a good thing here.' Looking behind him, Van quickly ducked as a lamp flew right at him. "Where the hell did you get that thing?!?"

"HOW DARE YOU FANEL?!?!? I'M GONNA MAKE IT SO YOU CAN NEVER HAVE KIDS!!!!"

"Eeep! Hitomi, listen to me! This guy really needs a moral boost and the only way to do that is to let him date a nice girl." Van jumped over the coffee table in an attempt to get more distance. Too bad for him, Hitomi liked working out with the track team in high school and college. He had a suspicion she also helped the softball team with their aim. A hard object suddenly hit him head on. "Ouch! Watch where you're throwing! Where did you get that cat from?" Van held up a weird green or yellow eyed black cat that just simply meowed at him. (Trigun cat strikes again!) Shaking his head, he just tossed the cat aside.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU TELL THIS ASSHOLE I WOULD DATE HIM?!?!?!? AND DON'T YOU DARE JUST TOSS THAT CAT ASIDE!!!"

Panting and realizing quickly he wouldn't be able to keep running for long, Van looked over his shoulder. "Because he needed to see that not all girls are bitches! He needed to see that there are good women out there that actually care, have compassion, a fire within them, a personality, and apparently very good aim with a cat. Where did you get that thing from again?"

Van suddenly didn't hear Hitomi running anymore. Digging up all his courage, he stopped running and turned to face her. She was looking at him with this weird look. "And you think I can show this guy that?"

Taking his chances, Van walked over to her and brought his hands up to cup her face, looking her right in the eyes. "I don't think. I _know_ you can. You have something inside you, Hitomi, that could make a very cold man melt and become whole. You healed me once a long time ago when I had just about given up. I know you can do the same for him."

Looking into her eyes like that stirred something in him. 'What was that?' The way her eyes sparkled seemed to make his heart skip a beat. 'Anticipation for her answer apparently.'

Sighing, she shook her head. "Damn it! Why do I have to care? This sucks."

"So you'll do it?"

"Yeah okay. Only for you Sparky. You owe me big time." Van hugged her as she just groaned. "Okay okay, enough with the touchy, feely mushy stuff. Who is this guy, when and where am I meeting him?"

"Ummm… 8pm at the Winged Dragon tomorrow."

"That's a pretty fancy place. Don't know if I have anything appropriate for that."

"What do you wear when you chaperone those dances?"

"You should know! I always drag you with me."

"Oh."

Rolling her eyes, Hitomi sat down on the couch. "You didn't tell me his name. Who is he?"

Taking a deep breath, Van answered. "You met him already. Allen Schezar."

Hitomi's eyes practically bugged out. "You mean the pretty boy with the long blonde girlie hair?!?" After receiving a nod, Hitomi sighed. "You owe me so much, Sparky. Big time. Huge. There isn't even a word for how big you owe me."

"Got it. Umm… you are going to behave and everything, right 'Tomi?"

Narrowing her eyes a bit, Hitomi glared at him. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I only mean you don't really dress up or act, well, more like the other girls."

"I thought you said you wanted him to meet a nice girl."

"Yeah, about that. Try not to curse as much or be as… cynically sarcastic, okay?"

With that, Hitomi put on this really ditzy face. "So you want me to like be some airhead? Like totally!"

"Please never do that again. Way too frightening."

Returning to normal, Hitomi looked at him. "Oh? Then why do you want me to act like that?"

"I don't. I just want you to clean it up a bit."

"You're asking a hell of a lot, Fanel."

"Please, 'Tomi? This means a lot to me."

Looking at her with huge innocent puppy eyes, Hitomi winced. "Since when did you get good at that face?"

"I learned from the one that perfected it. Pretty please?"

Trying to look away, Hitomi winced again. "Damn it all! Never pull that on me again! What the hell do you want me to do?"

Smiling, Van walked over to the phone. After dialing a few numbers, he held the receiver up to his ear. Hitomi raised an eyebrow at him. "Who are you calling?"

He simply looked over and smiled. "Reinforcements."

"Why do I suddenly have a feeling of great dread over this?"

* * *

Opening the door, Van smiled. "Thank you guys for coming over so quickly. I really appreciate it."

A blonde stepped forward and smiled. "Anything for an old college friend. So, what does my good friend Hitomi need? Whatever it is, Robin and I can take care of it no problem."

Van smiled again. "Thanks Danielle." A groan was heard in the general direction of the couch, which caused the females at the door to look over with curiosity. When they looked back at the maroon eyed man, he sighed. "Hitomi's not really looking forward to this."

"Yeah, what exactly are we doing, Van?" Robin stepped forward, highly curious.

Van smiled. "Well, Hitomi has a big date tomorrow night and she needs to clean up a bit, for lack of a better phrase." Van quickly moved his head out of the way of a flying pillow that was aimed at his head. He continued to smile as he went on. "As I was saying, she needs to dress a bit better and work on her language."

Danielle and Robin exchanged looks then looked at what they were currently wearing. Both girls were wearing different examples of plain old t-shirts and jeans with sneakers on their feet. Glancing back at him, Danielle raised one eyebrow. "Umm, we're not exactly the best experts on fashion here, if you haven't noticed."

"Let me guess. Yukari or Mila weren't available?"

Van sighed. "That's besides the point. Robin, you can dress up when necessary and Danielle can teach Hitomi how to control her temper and language. Both can help with manners and all."

"You guys are totally not doing a 'Miss Congeniality' thing on me!" Hitomi cried out from her spot on the couch. Danielle and Robin turned to each other again.

"What about a 'Princess Diaries' thing? Or what was that other movie? With the girl and the guy?"

"Oh very descriptive. You mean 'My Fair Lady'?" Danielle sighed.

Robin brightened. "Yeah, that one."

"I am not saying that stupid line over and over again to improve my way of speaking!"

Both girls sighed and walked over to the sandy haired woman on the couch. After looking her over a bit, they looked at each other, nodded, then looked over to Van. "Sure, we'll do our best. But you can't hang around."

Raising an eyebrow, Van inquired. "Why?"

"You'll give the real first guy impression. Duh! I swear he has the blonde gene."

Danielle looked over at Robin with this annoyed look on her face. The slightly shorter girl looked back. "What?"

"Hello! Blonde hair is attached to this head of mine."

"Oh, no no. I mean that stupid blonde thing. Everyone has at least one gene. Some use or abuse it a lot more then others. You're only now and then."

"Whatever. Let's get back to Hitomi now. Mind if we stay over?"

Hitomi raised an eyebrow, which just about everyone had done already. "What about John and that other guy?"

Rolling her eyes, Robin answered. "Don't worry about the ass monkey. He can survive one night alone."

"And I broke up with that other guy. He just kept on eating my food, which suddenly reminded me of John, so I broke up with him."

-Sweatdrop-

"…Oh… Okay then." Hitomi looked over at Van, who just smiled. "You owe me so big."

"So I've been told. Alright, I'll come back over at seven tomorrow night. That enough time for you girls?"

"It'll do."

"Okay. See you tomorrow 'Tomi."

"I hate you."

"Oh, but I love you ever so much. This much-" Van extended his arms out as far as they would go, "-and more."

"Psycho."

"And damn proud of it. Bye." With that Van left, a smile on his face.

Hitomi locked the door and looked back at the two girls left in the apartment. "Should I be afraid?"

Danielle just nodded. "Yep, very much so. Don't worry. We wouldn't make you look stupid, just show what you already got." Robin nodded.

With that, they all went to explore Hitomi's closet. After about five minutes, both girls sighed and looked over at their friend. "Come on. We got to take you shopping."

Hitomi's face suddenly took on a terrified look. "Sh-Shopping?!? Oh, Fanel, you are so dead!"

* * *

Whistling to himself, Van walked over to her building's door and rang her buzzer. It was seven on the dot on Sunday and he wanted to see how Hitomi looked. 'I wonder if she lived through all this.'

The intercom cracked before he heard her sweet voice. "Hai?"

"Do you always answer in Japanese?"

"FANEL?!? I'M GONNA-" Her voice was cut off as Robin's voice came through. "Come on up. Danielle's restraining her at the moment."

-Sweatdrop-

The buzzer rang, signaling him to enter. Quickly, he swung the door open and headed for the elevator. Pushing her floor number, Van leaned against the wall and waited. 'How bad could it be?'

Finally reaching the floor, Van left the elevator and headed straight to her door. After knocking, a few crashes were heard as a disheveled Robin answered. She was panting a bit, but smiled. "Come on in and sit down over there."

Van did as he was told and sat in the chair facing towards Hitomi's room. Turning to Robin, he asked, "so, how did it go?"

"Let's just say you're not getting out of this unharmed. Should I ask what blood type you are just in case?"

"That bad?"

"You owe us big time. Leave it at that."

Suddenly, Danielle came out from Hitomi's room, hair all over the place and clothes disheveled. She put on a tired smile. "You owe us **big** time. But, may I proudly present the new Hitomi Kanzaki!"

There was a long pause before Danielle looked over at Robin, who sighed. "Come on Hitomi."

"I think not."

"Don't make us come in there after you!"

"Alright. And Van, stop smirking! I know you are!"

Surprisingly, Van did stop smirking and just sighed. "Come on Hitomi. Let's see." He smiled as he waited for her to step out of the confines of her bedroom.

Finally the door swung open and Van's eyes went wide as his mouth began to open in shock. Hitomi walked out of the room with black open-toed high heeled shoes on, showing off her long legs with a midnight black dress that fit her perfectly. The sleeves went to her elbows then flowed to about her knuckles while the skirt part of the dress went to about her thighs where the same flow-like fabric was used to go down to about half of her lower legs. The top was a v-neck that cut off right above her chest, showing nothing but still perfect. Her sandy brown hair was clipped back high on her head as a few loose strands framed her face. Her eyelids were painted lightly with a dark brown color on the very edge of the lid with white covering the area between there and her eyebrows. Both eyelashes had mascara on them to make them darker then usual, giving her a softer look. Hitomi's face was a bit paler as a bit of dark red lipstick was on her lips, shining with lip gloss. A very small touch of blush was applied to her cheeks, adding some color.

Van had slowly risen as he saw her. Walking up to her, he found he couldn't tear his gaze away. Taking a breath, he looked into her emerald eyes. "You look so beautiful, Hitomi."

Fidgeting a bit, Hitomi gave a small smile. "Arigatou."

After a few more moments of staring, Van cleared his throat and looked away. "How much did you have to go through for this? Whatever it was, it was worth it. You do look… simply beautiful."

Danielle and Robin exchanged looks as they remembered everything they went through.

_-Flashback-_

_They had finally reached the mall and after dragging Hitomi out of the car, the group all headed for this one particular store. "Umm, this is a really expensive store."_

_Danielle sighed. "I know, but this night is important. We'll just get some idea. Plus, we've got coupons!" Smiling, she shoved the sandy brunette into the store, Robin following. _

_After looking around for a bit, the girls threw Hitomi in a changing room as they sat outside and waited. "What do you think?"_

_Robin sighed. "She's a very nice looking girl, but she hides it. I have a feeling we'll find something for her soon."_

"_Umm, I'm ready."_

_The girls smiled and looked over at the door when Hitomi came out. She was wearing a bright magenta striped shirt and neon lime green spandex pants._

_-Sweatdrop-_

_Both girls blinked. "Umm… that is… interesting…" was Robin's reply._

"_Yeah… To quote Robin Williams: 'and all the blind gay men are going Oh dear Christ.' Basically, maybe we should look at something else that's not too… loud and would make your date go blind." _

_Hitomi sighed and went back into the changing room. After about an hour of this, Robin looked around the store, completely exhausted from just watching Hitomi. Suddenly, a black dress caught her eye. Without hesitation, she walked over and snatched it up, taking it over to the girl. "Try on this one. I think this might be the one."_

_Sighing, Hitomi took the dress and went into the changing room yet again. By this time, Danielle was flat on her back, eyes closed with her arms spread out. "Shoot me now."_

_Finally, Hitomi came out of the dressing room. Robin's eyes lit up as Danielle picked up her head and whistled. "That's the one."_

_Robin nodded in agreement as the emerald eyed girl rolled her eyes. "I don't know…"_

"_Let me put it this way. It's either that one or we go to a completely different store and do the whole trying on thing all over again."_

"_Okay! This one it is." She went back in to change back into her regular clothes, then went over to pay for the dress. "What's next?"_

"_Shoes!!!" Both girls turned to Robin. "What? I like shoes."_

_-Sweatdrop-_

'_This is going to be a long day…'_

_-End Flashback-_

"So then after the shoes, which took another hour, we picked up some make-up and then came back here and picked at some hair styles. We fell asleep around midnight, then woke up at about noon and got ready. We forced Hitomi to use conditioner for her hair and some new shampoo, which is why her hair is fuller now. I found that old pin in her jeweler chest, but couldn't find anything for her neck. She also refused to take off her ring." Danielle pointed to the ring still on Hitomi's finger.

"It's the Celtic ring you gave me all those years ago. I'm not taking it off." She smiled at him as Van returned it.

"No necklace, huh? That just won't do. Let's see here." With that, Van took out a velvet box from his jacket and handed it to her. With a confused look on her face, Hitomi opened it to reveal a silver necklace with an emerald stone in the shape of a tear on it, surrounded with a thin layer of silver on the sides.

She looked at him, mouth wide open. "Van, it's beautiful."

"It's for you. I picked out the stone that was the closest to the color of your eyes. May I?" After receiving a nod, Van picked up the chain and motioned for Hitomi to turn around, which she did. He then proceeded to put the necklace on for her, not knowing Danielle and Robin were exchanging looks behind him with smiles on their faces. When the clasp was closed, Van placed his hand on her shoulder and she turned to face him again. Her eyes sparkled and that weird feeling went through him again as he got lost in her eyes. 'What's going on with me?'

Van smiled at Hitomi and back away a bit, clearing his throat again. "You better get going. You don't want to keep Allen waiting for long, do you?"

Sighing, Hitomi reached over to grab her keys when Robin threw something at her, which she caught. Looking at it, she sighed again. "A purse?"

"Your key holder thing doesn't go with the outfit. A black purse will have to do."

After grumbling, Hitomi transferred her keys, money and cell phone into the purse and threw it onto her shoulder. "You guys can let yourselves out whenever. I'll see you all later. Thanks for your help, I guess. Ja ne."

"Ja ne, Hitomi! Have fun!" Both girls waved at her and smiled. Van walked up to Hitomi. "Want me to drive you?"

"No. I'll drive. That way my car's there if I need to make a get away. Later, Sparky."

"Do have fun, 'Tomi."

"I'll try and contain my excitement." With that, she left the apartment, closing the door behind her.

Van turned to the two behind him. "Thank you so much for your help. She looks just so beautiful."

They exchanged looks again and nodded. "We didn't do all that much. She was beautiful without our help."

"I knew that," Van mumbled to himself… or so he thought. Danielle and Robin smiled and got their things.

"Cya around, Van. Come visit sometime. Ja ne!"

"Ja." The girls left Van alone in the apartment. He looked around and for the first time felt alone and lost in her place. "What do I do now?" After a few minutes, Van left and headed home to his own apartment, a weird feeling still washing through him.

* * *

The door swung open that evening as black shoes were tossed across the room, hitting the wall with a nice bang. A black bag was also tossed aside as the woman entered her apartment, heading straight for the bedroom containing the bed, which was her current destination. She somehow found the energy to change into pajamas and crawl into bed. Before shutting her eyes, she counted to herself. '3…2…1…'

-Ring Ring-

Sighing, Hitomi reached over and picked up the phone. "Moushi Moushi."

"What is with you and the Japanese?"

Sighing, Hitomi leaned back. "What's up, Van?"

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I somehow knew you were going to call, so I made sure not to."

"That's kind of creepy that you know what I'm going to do."

"You want to know how it went, don't you Van?"

"That's the objective of this call."

Sighing again, she made herself comfortable. "There is no word to describe how much you owe me."

"That bad?"

"First off, I got there and he was already there. I asked if I kept him waiting and he said he just wanted to make sure I was punctual, that his last girlfriend was always late. I even remember the line he used. 'Your promptness is a very good sign for a new relationship.'"

"…are you serious?"

"Sadly."

"What did you say?"

"To quote: 'Umm alright then.' I sat down and picked up the menu quickly as he commented about my dress."

"What did he say?"

"That I should reveal more and not hide what I was given. I was so very close to slapping him."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what happened next."

"The waiter came and he ordered for me a nice tossed salad. He said it was to keep my thin figure in check."

Hitomi could hear Van slap his forehead with his hand. "Oh boy."

"And to think it's not done yet."

"Oh kami. I'm already sorry."

"Oooh, just wait. I have more to tell. I told him I don't eat salads and I tried to order teriyaki chicken because I heard it was good. He told the waiter to just bring me the salad and told me no girl of his would be seen shoving a dead cow into their mouths."

"I thought you said you wanted chicken."

"I did."

-Sweatdrop-

"I am so very worried."

"May I?"

"Let me brace myself. Okay."

"The waiter left, leaving me and pretty boy alone. He went on and on about something totally boring, which I just smiled and nodded every now and then. I don't think he noticed. Randomly, he asked me to dance. I told him I don't dance and he said 'All women of Allen Schezar dance.' As he was about to drag me to the dance area, the food came. I was never so happy to see salad before. He kept asking me if I needed anything in which I replied that if I needed something I would get it myself. After finishing the food, he smiled at me as he paid the bill, which I was not allowed to even see. You know I hate it when people do that. Anyway, he asked if I wanted to head over to his place for, and I use the air quotes for this, 'coffee'. I told him no and that I had to get up very early the next morning. He asked why. I had told him many times during the night when he asked that I was a high school music teacher. As I was heading to my car, in which he insisted on escorting me to, he tried many times to actually kiss me."

Van's grip on the phone got so tight the phone actually cracked. "He did?"

"I told him to back off and I wasn't that kind of girl. I told him he should actually try listening to a girl and not be so self-absorbed, that it was probably the reason why his ex dumped his sorry ass. I then jumped into my car and sped off."

A smile broke onto his face as he heard that, but then winced. He would be hearing all about this at work the next day. "Oh Hitomi."

"I tried, Van, but that's what he really needed to hear. There is no way he will be able to hang onto an actual real girl with what he was pulling."

"I know you tried. I'm grateful for that. Thank you. I'm just sorry it was this terrible."

"I'll get over it. I'd love to chat more, but this exhausted me. I need to bond with my pillow."

A small laugh flowed through the phone. "Okay Hitomi."

"You want to pick me up for lunch or should I come to you?"

"Maybe you should come to me. You'd probably make my day a whole lot brighter."

"Alright. Night, Sparky."

"Sweet dreams and good night, 'Tomi."

With that, Hitomi hung up the phone and crawled under the covers. The night really had been just that terrible, but her pillow and comfy bed made her fall into a comfortable sleep.

* * *

"Fanel. In my office, now."

Wincing at what he knew was coming, Van got up and headed into Allen's office. Closing the door behind him, he walked over to Allen's desk and sat down in the chair. "Yes?"

The blonde haired man turned to him and smiled. "Relax, Fanel. I only wanted to tell you I had a great time last night with your friend Hitomi."

Blinking in surprise, Van stared at him. "Really? Well, if I may ask, what happened?" Somehow Van had a feeling Allen had a completely different view on the date Hitomi did.

The blonde haired freak, I mean guy leaned back and went back into the moments. "First off, she arrived right on time, which is a big thing for me. Then she tried to order this horrific meal, so I spared her and ordered her a salad, which is more appropriate for a woman to eat anyhow. I commented her on her looks, but advised her not to hide anything. She really is a very beautiful woman, Van."

"You don't have to tell me that," Van mumbled to himself.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. What happened next?"

"Hitomi really is a quiet person though. I had to do the majority of the talking, probably because she was nervous being with me. Poor thing. I told her all about myself, my old girlfriends,-"

"You told her about old girlfriends??"

"Sure. I pointed out everything that was wrong with them and found that Hitomi does none of those things. Truly perfect. Anyway, I noticed other men were looking at her so I decided to show her off a bit and dance with her. Hitomi politely refused, probably wanted to spare the other women in the room. A real angel."

"Umm, Hitomi doesn't like to dance. She's also a really independent person, so…"

Allen continued as if Van hadn't said anything. "I made idle chit chat as we ate. For some reason, Hitomi didn't eat much, probably worried about her weight. I asked if something was wrong and she said if something was, she would fix it herself. I paid for the meal and escorted her to her car when I asked if she wanted to go back to my place for coffee. Hitomi said she had to get up early for work the next day. She didn't mention what she did though. When I tried to kiss her goodnight, she pushed me away and said she doesn't kiss on the first date. Then she drove away."

'That's not exactly how Hitomi described it.' Van sighed and glanced at Allen, who was looking back at him.

"Well, what did Hitomi say?"

"About…?"

"Come on, Van. You're her best friend. Surely she called and told you all about it."

"Umm, actually I called her and basically she described it a bit different but mostly the same as you."

Smiling, Allen sat back. "Good, then it will be easy for me to ask her out for tonight."

Van eyes went very wide. "What? Tonight?"

"Why, yes. She still has to prove herself to me in order to be a worthy girlfriend of Allen Schezar. Hitomi is a treasure, one of a kind. I have no doubts that she will be mine."

Sitting back in the chair, Van's eyes continued to be wide. 'She's going to kill me.' "Umm, I think she's busy tonight."

"I'm sure she'll postpone whatever it is in order to go out with me."

'Gee, self-confident much?' "I don't know if Hitomi would want to do that."

At that, Allen put down his papers. "What are you saying, Fanel?"

Knowing he was on thin ice at the moment, Van tried to fix this. "What I mean is, well, she said you don't really listen and tried to do everything for her. She's not that kind of girl. Hitomi's the type to do things herself, hating it when someone does things for her, such as order for her. You have to realize she's a very smart person and uses her own mind instead of just agreeing with whatever someone says. She also doesn't take too kindly to someone forcing her to do something, like dancing. Instead of talking all the time, try asking her things and actually listening and absorbing what she says. By the way, she's a high school choir director. Hitomi told me she told you that repeatedly during the night. She also mentioned something about not centering everything around yourself and your self image. The reason she didn't eat the salad is because she hates it and she could careless about her figure. She'd rather be comfortable in a tee shirt and jeans than in a dress. Outer image means nothing to her. It's inner beauty that counts. Oh and she can't stand it when guys try to kiss so soon in the relationship, which she doesn't view herself in. In other words, don't force yourself on her." Taking a deep breath, Van waited for Allen's reaction, which he knew was bound to come.

The man simply sat back in his seat and looked at his maroon eyed employee. "She said all that, huh? Interesting."

"…Sir?"

"Then allow me to make up for that night with another date."

"What?"

"Surely she's a forgiving person. Tell I was…" Allen cringed at this word as it came out of his mouth, "nervous or something and wish to make it up to her tonight."

Unsure of what to say, Van looked at his boss and sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good. Now, make sure those files are done by lunch. I have to speak with the other board members next weekend after the banquet about who I'm assigning the account. If everything goes right, you'll be a very happy man."

"Thank you."

"Alright. Get back to work then."

With that, Van left the office and headed back to his desk, getting right back to work. What was he going to tell Hitomi? She was already upset for having to spend five minutes with Allen. Shaking his head, Van tried to concentrate on his work.

"You okay there?"

Looking up, Van looked into Maaya's smiling face, somehow calming him a bit. "I'm fine, just a lot of work."

"That never was a problem before."

"Well, now that I'm up for the Rand account, Mr. Schezar wants to see what I can do."

Shaking her head, Maaya headed back for her desk. "By the way, Van, do you know where Hitomi was last night? I tried to call her but couldn't reach her. I would have left a message on her machine, but I think it's broken again."

Shaking his head, Van replied, "No, couldn't tell you. Maybe she went out with Yukari or something."

"Maybe. Alright, I won't keep you any longer." With that, she walked away, leaving Van exhaling a deep breath. That was the first time he had ever lied to Mrs. Kanzaki and it didn't sit well with him at all. Shaking his head, he went back to work.

* * *

The time flew by quicker then Van would have liked, but he got his work done just in time to hear a sweet voice call to him. "Hey Sparky."

Smiling, Van looked up. "Hey 'Tomi. What's up?"

"Hopefully the ceiling."

"We can only hope."

"Ready to go?"

"Sure. Let me just grab-"

"Hitomi!" Both Van and the said girl looked over to see Allen walking over to them, an innocent smile on his face. Van saw Hitomi put on a really fake smile. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to tell you I had a great time last night, but I hear it wasn't as good for you."

"Oh really?"

"I was wondering if I could make it up to you tonight."

"Tonight? As in another date?"

"Well, yes. Maybe to this little place I know called Palas. I could pick you up at about seven?"

Hitomi looked over at Van who wore this really pleading look on his face, as if begging her to accept. Inwardly groaning, she sighed as she thought it over. 'Maybe last night was a fluke or something. Maybe… Damn it all! Why am I so friggin nice?!?' Sighing again, she looked at Allen who had this real pathetic look on his face. "Oh, alright. If you don't shape up though, that's it."

Allen smile was one that Van had to say was of triumph, which disgusted him. "It's a date then. Where do you live?"

"That's okay. I can drive myself."

"But I wouldn't be able to call myself a gentleman if I let you drive."

Hitomi gave him a slight glare. "Then don't be one. I can drive myself. I've been doing it for awhile now. I'm a big girl now."

"So I've noticed. Alright then. I'll meet you there at seven. I shall count the moments until we see each other again." With that, Allen tried to kiss her cheek when Hitomi put up a hand to stop him.

"I told you last night and I'll tell you again. I am not that kind of girl. There will be no lip to skin or lip to lip action at all until I deem it appropriate. Got that?"

Slightly irked about that, Allen sighed. "As you wish, my lady." With that, he walked away to his office.

Hitomi turned and glared at Van, who wished he was anywhere but here at that exact moment. "Care to explain, Fanel?"

Sighing, Van motioned for Hitomi to go to the elevator, which she did. This was going to be one very very long lunch break.

* * *

--And there you have it. Chapter five all done. I'm on vacation now so I'm not sure when the next one is coming out. Happy Holidays everyone! Happy New Year!!! Ja ne!-- 


	7. Mixed Emotions

~*~Hi everyone! Sorry for the really long wait. I love the fact you all hate Allen for his remarks. That was the point. Also note, this got me very mad, but please don't put reviews that basically say "hurry up and update again or I'll kill you" kind of thing. Makes me work slower. That and please don't give me "advice" on what to put in here. I know what I want and I know how I'm getting there. It just takes me more time than it used to, due to circumstances out of my control. *shakes fist at college professors* Here's your chapter!~*~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_Chapter Six: Mixed Emotions_**

The lights turned on suddenly as a tired man walked into the room, placing his suitcase by his couch. Undoing his tie, Van walked into the kitchen and looked around for anything edible. Sighing, he closed the last cabinet. "Guess I'm ordering out again." Picking up the phone, he hit one of the speed dial buttons and waited until he heard a familiar voice. "Good evening, Mr. Wang. Can you send over the usual? Yeah, long night at the office. Thank you very much. Good bye."

After hanging up the phone, Van rubbed his face with his hand as he went towards the living room again. Looking around, Van cringed and went towards the bedroom to quickly change. As he was about to though, a loud knock was heard at the door. Van raised an eyebrow. "Well that's odd." Putting his shirt back on, Van went to the door and opened it.

Standing there was the last person he expected at the moment. "Hitomi?"

The emerald eyed girl walked into the apartment and flopped on top of the couch, taking a pillow and screaming into it as well. Puzzled, Van closed the door and walked over to her. "Was it that bad?"

A groan and a muffled answer came from the talking pillow. "What was that?" Van reached over and took the magic pillow away to hear her clearly. "Was it that bad?"

"Damn it, Fanel, what did you say to him?"

"What do you mean? Did he get worse?"

"No! It was great! Damn it all to bloody hell!" With that, Hitomi threw her face into a different pillow and groaned.

Van blinked a few times, unable to comprehend what she had said. "Sorry, I think my mind shut off. Did you say it was… good?"

Hitomi shot up and glared at him. "Not good, great! It was amazing! What the hell happened to make him that good? What did you tell him, you nut?!?"

The blinking resumed as Van finally sat down next to her. Rubbing his temples, Van focused on her again. "It was great? What the hell happened?"

Before she could answer, a beeping noise was heard, causing Van to get up and go over to his intercom thing. "Yes?"

"Mr. Wang's Chinese Food."

"Come on up." With that, Van buzzed the guy in and went over to check his wallet. After a few moments, there was a knock on the door. Van opened it and paid the man, taking his food into the apartment. He placed it on the coffee table and went to get the appropriate silverware, which was chopsticks, including some for Hitomi to use. After both of them picked what they wanted to start with, Van inquired again. "What happened?"

Hitomi sighed as she munched on an egg roll. "Alright, you remember that café we were going to? Palas? Well, when I go there-"

"Er, before you continue, were you wearing that?"

Hitomi looked down at the denim jeans and nice black shirt she was wearing. "Yeah… got a problem with that?"

Shaking his head before it got knocked off his shoulders, Van pressed on, "When you got there…"

"When I got there, he was there already, just like last time."

"What did he say this time," Van asked bitterly.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Only said he was glad I came."

"Odd…"

Hitomi shoved some sesame chicken into her mouth before continuing. "Anyway, the place is more like a diner than a café, so I ordered my usual."

"Chicken fingers."

"Exactly. He highly suggested I not eat that, but I politely informed him I don't eat salads. Anywho, we basically sat there, ate, and talked. I threw in little quizzes now and then to see if he was paying attention to what I had said before."

"How many did he miss?"

"None."

"None?!?"

"You heard me. I was just as shocked as you are. After the meal was over, he asked if he could take me for a walk around the park."

Van gave her a weird look. "What's so special about that?"

"The fact he actually asked instead of insisted is the key part of that, Fanel."

"Really?"

Reaching over, Hitomi lightly smacked him in the forehead, then quickly took the beef teriyaki out of his hands.

"Hey! I wasn't done with that."

"You are now."

"You are too cruel."

"And yet you love me anyway. Who's the one that needs the mental help?"

"I think we both do. Anywho, what happened on this 'oh-so-exciting' walk around the park?" For some reason, his heart had speed up a bit at what she had said. 'Why is that? And why am I acting as if I want to strangle Allen? She's only dating him because I begged her to…'

Hitomi sent Van a weird look while handing him back the stolen food and picking up the chicken yet again. "We looked around and talked. It's really beautiful at night, Van. You and me should go the night of the full moon. I bet the way the moonlight hits each petal presents a simply beautiful picture."

"I'll go run and put it in my calendar now."

"Was that sarcasm I detect?"

"Only the purest form of it."

"What? You'd let me go all alone then?"

"Oh, I'm sure you could take care of yourself." After a few seconds, Van smiled. "But I better go with you, just in case you start crying."

Hitomi glared at him. "I don't cry."

"I do recall a time you did."

"That doesn't count."

"Oh really?"

"ANYWAY, sometime during the walk, he took my hand in his, just like in those old movies, you know?"

Van's grip on the Chinese food carton tightened significantly. "He took your hand?"

"Er, Van? The carton's already dead. You don't have to kill it. I didn't know your knuckles could turn that white. You okay?"

Shaking his head and letting go of the innocent, now crushed carton, Van looked at her, slightly concerned. "Allen didn't do anything else, did he?"

"Actually… no. He didn't even try to kiss me goodnight."

Visibly relaxing, Van released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Good." When Hitomi raised an eyebrow at him, Van continued, "I didn't want to have to kill him. Too tired to do it then having to clean up all the blood? Messy."

"Ha! I can take care of myself, Sparky. I would have kicked his ass if he tried anything and you know it."

Van smiled at this and went back to his egg roll. "Still, I am allowed to worry about you."

Hitomi stopped mid-chew and looked at him. "Oh? Why?"

There was this weird look in her eyes as Van thought of his answer. "Because you're my best friend, of course." 

A somewhat disappointed look replaced the weird one. "Oh," was her only answer. Gently, she put the carton down on the coffee table and moved to get up. "I should get going. Long day tomorrow."

Puzzled, Van got up as well. "Something wrong, 'Tomi?"

Shaking her head, Hitomi smiled at him, one he knew right away was forced. 'That's not like her.'

"I'm fine, Sparky. Guess I'm tired. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch?"

"Yeah, of course. I get to pick you up tomorrow."

"Okay then. Ja ne, Van."

"Bye. Get some rest. You do look tired."

Rolling her eyes, Hitomi looked at him. "That's just a polite way of saying I look like shit."

"Shh. You weren't supposed to pick up on that yet."

Smacking him in the arm, Hitomi walked out of the apartment, Van calling good bye to her. He eventually sat down again to pick at the remains of the Chinese food, but something wasn't right. 'Hitomi never leaves before all the food's gone. Even then, we usually hang out afterwards. There was something wrong with her.' Concerned, Van was tempted to call her, but mentally smacked himself. 'Okay, number one, she's not home yet. Number two, she said she was tired. That's probably it.' Somehow, that reasoning didn't sit well with him, but Van pushed it aside. 'I'm just overreacting.' Looking over, his eyes caught sight of the crushed carton. 'Why did I react like that? What's going on with me? I was so angry, but why? Was it really what I said it was? Yeah, yeah it has to be because she's my best friend. I don't want anything to happen to her. She doesn't deserve to get hurt anymore. Not from anyone.'

With that reasoned out, Van sighed and picked up the remains to put in the refrigerator for the next night. 'Somehow I seemed to have lost the rest of my appetite.' After putting everything away, Van went to his bedroom, changed and came back out to watch some TV before hitting some of the work he had brought home.

~

Blink. Blink. All that stupid curser would do on the computer was blink. Nothing was coming out, no words, no letters. Nothing. He only had twenty minutes to go before he had to pick her up, but Van was swamped with a workload from hell. What was Allen thinking giving him all this work to do? Dilly never had this much work before.

Sighing, Van put his head down on his desk and banged it repeatedly until a voice broke him out of this cycle. "Van?"

Looking up, Van shoved down a groan as he saw the tall blond haired man. "Oh, hi Allen."

"Something wrong?"

'No, I just like banging my head like this.' Trying not to roll his eyes, Van replied, "I just have a lot of work to do. I'm afraid I'll have to work through lunch."

"What about Hitomi?"

"I'm going to call the school to have them tell her I can't make it."

Van saw a small smirk on that asshole, I mean his boss's face. "Well, I'll be more than happy to go in your place. I don't mind. Besides, it's so informal and rude to not send someone in your stead."

Raising an eyebrow at him, Van sighed. "I guess so…"

"Great. The local high school, correct?"

"Gaia High School. The choir room."

"Alright then. I'll tell Hitomi you're sorry to miss this lunch. Good luck with the files, Fanel." With that, the blond idiot smiled as he left the office, heading for the elevator.

A growl emerged from his throat as Van watched him leave with that 'I've conquered the world' spring in his step. 'Bastard.'

Groaning again, Van smacked his forehead with his hand. 'What the hell is going on with me?'

"Problems, Van?"

Looking up, he smiled at the kind face. "Just a lot of work today, Maaya. That's all."

Mrs. Kanzaki smiled at him as she sat in the extra chair. "Mr. Schezar did give you an unusually large amount of work today. Some of the others were even sent home early because there was no work to do."

Realization dawned on him at that moment. 'He set this up! That asshole! He just wanted to take Hitomi out to lunch instead of me!'

"Van? You okay? You look rather ticked off."

Shaking his head, the raven haired man looked into the kind woman's worried eyes. "I'm okay, just thinking."

"Say, why aren't you on your way to meet Hitomi?"

Gazing over at the mountain of paperwork, he looked back at her. "Too much work to do. I sent her word I could not make it."

A frown appeared on Maaya's face. "That's too bad. How is she doing lately? I haven't been able to reach her for a few days now."

A small spark of panic hit him then. "Oh, umm, she's okay. Been busy lately. You know how it is."

Maaya gave him a small nod in understanding. "Yes. I guess you don't truly feel a person's worth to you until they are no longer there." With a sympathetic smile, she patted his shoulder, then got up and went back to her own work, leaving Van to think over her words.

'What's going on with me lately? I mean I was ready to strangle Allen at the drop of a hat. But why? What is this feeling I keep getting?' Sighing, he dove back into his work, those questions still sitting in the back of his mind.

~

The office was surrounded in darkness except for one single light shining through. Van sat at his desk, still plugging away at his computer. His stomach loudly demanded to be fed, but that didn't stop him. Silently cursing to himself, he recalled when Allen had gotten back from his little lunch date.

_~Flashback~_

_There was a smile on his face as the blond haired bastard, er I mean man, walked into the office. Allen walked right up to his little office area and casually leaned against the door. "How's the work coming along, Fanel?"_

_"Slowly, but it is getting done."_

_"That's good to hear. When you're finished with that, come by my office. I have some things for you to look over."_

_"Yes sir."_

_With that, Allen headed over to his office and closed the door as Van finally unclenched his fists. Within an hour, Van picked himself up and walked over to Allen's office, all the files in hand. He walked in and placed them on the blue eyed man's desk. "Here are all my files, Allen."_

_After picking up one file and scanning through it, he turned to the maroon eyed man. "Good work, Fanel. I have more work for you to look at as well."_

_"But Allen-"_

_The said man turned sharply to Van. "Is there a problem, Fanel? If there is, I'm sure I can get Dilandau to do it instead. Is that what you want?"_

_Pushing down the urge to punch this man right in the face, Van shook his head. "No sir. There's no problem. I'll get on it right away."_

_"Good boy." Handing a large amount of files to Van, Allen simply waved his hand, signaling he was dismissed._

_Grumbling, Van went back to his desk and began to work on the new work he was given. What the hell was Allen up to anyway? This amount of work was usually split between three people at least! To get this done, he would have to stay late into the night. He had planned to go talk to Hitomi tonight, but due to the large pile of files on his desk, he would not get the chance to even call her._

_At about five, when almost all the people there had left, Allen smiled as he walked by, wishing Van luck with his work. Maaya came by and gave him a sympathetic smile. "I wish I could help you, Van, but Kenji is bringing his new girlfriend by for me to meet."_

_"It's alright, Mrs. Kanzaki. I can handle this. If you get a chance, could you call Hitomi and apologize for me?"_

_"Sure thing, Van.__ See you tomorrow. Don't kill yourself with this all tonight."_

_"Good night, Maaya."_

_~End Flashback~_

That was four hours ago. Here he was, sitting and typing away at his computer. He was hungry and tired. And yet there were still three files left to do. Slamming his head into the desk yet again, he groaned very loudly. 

"Careful now. You can't afford to lose anymore brain cells. You didn't have that many to begin with, so why destroy the ones you got?"

Picking his head up, Van looked over in surprise at the emerald eyed girl standing there with a smile on her face. Hitomi stood there with baggy jeans, a regular old t-shirt and a denim jacket with old sneakers on her feet, her keys and wallet hanging from her neck as usual. In her hands was a bag as well as a large pizza pie.

Even with her plain appearance, Van couldn't help but find her beautiful. 'What the hell was that??? Hitomi beautiful? When did that thought enter my mind? Must be the hunger talking…' Van stood and looked at her. "What are you doing here?"

The woman raised one eyebrow. "What, no snappy come back? How many brain cells did you kill with that banging anyway?"

"Too many to count."

Still smiling, Hitomi walked over to him and placed the food on his desk. "Mom called and told me you were running late because of all the work you had to do, so I thought since you abandoned me for lunch, I'd come to you for dinner."

"I didn't abandon you."

"Allen's words, not mine."

"Allen's??"

With a nod, Hitomi sat in the extra chair and looked at him while taking a slice of the chicken pizza. "First things first, you thank me for being sooo kind as to hunt down that pizza place that actually makes chicken pizza, your favorite."

"It's your favorite too."

"Not the point."

With a smile on his face, Van leaned forward and kissed her forehead, an act that startled both him and apparently her. 'Why did I do that???' While trying to suppress a blush from rising to his cheeks, Van nodded at her. "Thank you so much, 'Tomi. I will make it up to you soon."

Hitomi turned her head away from him and cleared her throat. "Y-you're welcome."

A weird silence passed for a few moments until Van cleared his throat. "So, what happened at lunch," he asked while grabbing a slice for himself.

"Oh! Right… lunch… Well, he came to my classroom, more like barged in, and declared he was taking me to lunch, in front of my class mind you."

"He marched into your class?"

"Apparently he doesn't run on other people schedules. Anyway, I told him I was in the middle of class and for him to wait, which he wasn't happy with. I had to take him out in the hall and make him sit there until my class was over. Oh, I was furious!"

"I can imagine. You always hate it when your class gets interrupted by something stupid, pathetic and a complete waste of time."

Hitomi looked at him for a moment with one eyebrow raised. "Somehow I get the impression you are referring to a specific someone instead of different reasons, like an assembly."

"Your words, not mine."

Confused, Hitomi took the new slice of pizza away from her mouth. "If you think Allen is such an asshole, why do you want me to date him?"

That question Van wasn't expecting, though he should have, considering how he had been behaving lately. Knowing he had to come up with an answer quickly, Van used his advertising skills to come up with something good. "I told you before. He really needs to improve himself and you're just the special girl who can change him."

Leaning back in her seat, Hitomi mumbled, "then why does it feel like I'm the only one that's changing?"

Sighing, Van gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Hitomi. Allen has this certain image and I thought if you fit it with your personality, he'd love you and want to make himself better for you. You have this way of making even the coldest of hearts melt and fall in love with you." A weird feeling stirred inside him with his words. They were true, but just how true?

Hitomi let out a loud sigh as she reached into the bag and pulled out a plate of linguini and two forks. There were meatballs in there as well mixed into the tomato sauce. Van raised an eyebrow as Hitomi just made a face. "Don't give me that look. I have a fork for you too, mister. Anyway, you know I'd much prefer the regular comfortable look than fitting a certain image for some guy."

"But it fits you so nicely. Sometimes I wonder why you can't dress like that all the time." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop them. Realizing what he had said, Van looked over at Hitomi, who held the folk in mid-air, obviously hearing what he had said. 

Slowly, without a word, Hitomi put the pasta down on his desk and stood up. "So that's it, huh? I'm not good enough for you. Amazing what you can find out. I guess Allen was right at lunch."

That caused Van to shoot right up. "What did Allen say?"

"He said that you had a bit of work to do that you could have put aside, but instead you decided to just work on that rather than meet me for lunch. Allen had told you you could have worked on it later, but you insisted on finishing. You weren't even going to tell me, leaving me there to wonder what happened, ditch me. Allen was only kind enough to come down there and tell me what happened instead of my best friend." Her anger had built up while she talked until she was just plain ticked off.

Rage was evident in Van's maroon eyes. "That's not what happened at all."

Hitomi held up her hand to stop him. "Spare me. I understand now. I'm just not good enough for you anymore. The least you could have done was tell me to my face earlier."

"Hitomi, listen to me. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. What I meant was that you constantly hide yourself behind baggy clothing whenever you can. You shouldn't hide like that."

Shaking her head, her emerald eyes locked onto his. "And here I thought I was just being me. It never bothered you before. Are you embarrassed by me or something?"

"That's not it at all. You're twisting everything out of proportion."

"Oh please explain it to me, oh wise one."

"Now you're just being sarcastic."

"Aren't I always? Or would you rather pick apart everything about me? What else do you hate about me, Van?"

That startled him. Hitomi never acted like this before. Then again, neither did he. "What?"

"You heard me. What about me do you just despise? Be honest now."

"I don't hate anything about you."

"Really? Then why do you want me to change so much?"

"It's not that I want you to change. I just want you to improve."

"Same thing."

"No it's not. To change means to take everything and reshape it. To improve means to take what you already have and bring it up to a better level."

"Thank you, Mr. Webster."

Sighing, Van tried to clear his mind. "Let's try this again, shall we? Look, I only wanted you to clean up a bit to impress him."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Hitomi glared at him. "Why?"

"Because if he was impressed, then I would have…" Van caught himself before revealing the real reason for all of this. "I would have shown him the perfect girl to beat some sense into him. If he's captivated by you, then he would eventually fix his ways in order to be with you. I only want what's best for you, 'Tomi. I would never do anything to hurt you."

It was as if she knew he was holding something back, but chose not to say anything about it at the moment. Shaking her head, Hitomi sighed. "A man should love a woman for who she is, not what he can change her into, not for her looks."

"Should is the key term. There aren't many guys that can do that."

"You say that as if you're one of them."

"I might be. I'd like to think I'm different and see the true inner beauty, but I have a feeling I still see the outer beauty first."

"You're such a guy!"

"This is true." A nice smack to the arm was what Van received and he smiled as he rubbed his sore arm. "Forgive me?"

"For being a guy?"

"For what I said. I didn't mean it."

"You do have a knack for talking without thinking… or just not thinking in general."

Van was so glad to see her smile then, knowing he had been forgiven. Hitomi took her seat again in the extra chair as Van took his own. Both began eating again and Van finished up his work as Hitomi kept him company, staying by his side until well into the night. 

By the time he had finally finished, Van realized Hitomi had fallen asleep. A soft look entered his eyes as he watched her sleep peacefully with her head leaning on the back of the chair. He almost didn't have the heart to wake her, but looking at the clock, Van reached over and gently began pushing her lightly back and forth. "Rise and shine, sleepy head."

Beautiful emerald eyes greeted the world, a little glassy from the sleep. They seemed to sparkle that way, making Van gazed into their depths without realizing it. Only her voice broke him away from their spell. "What?"

"I said what time is it."

"Oh, umm, 12:30."

A groan escaped her lips. "Great. I have to be up at six to get to class."

"Come on. I'll take you home. You're too tired to be driving anyway."

"I didn't drive. Took the bus."

"With all that food??"

"It's amazing how many hungry people there are on a bus."

"Hitomi, why on earth didn't you drive?"

"Car's in the shop."

"Why?"

"It was making this weird whirring sound."

Shaking his head, Van picked up the sleepy woman into his arms and proceeded to carry her bridal style to the elevator. "Van Fanel! What the hell are you doing?!?"

"Carrying you."

"I can see that! Put me down!"

"Just rest, 'Tomi. I promise not to drop you. I won't let you fall. Just rest your head on my shoulder and sleep."

For some reason, that got her quiet and she did as she was told. A blush formed on his face as he felt her breath on his neck in an even pattern, telling him she was in fact asleep. Van held onto her tightly, bringing her closer to his chest, as he went down in the elevator and over to his car. As carefully and as gently as he could, he opened the passenger's side and slid the sleeping angel into the seat, buckling her in for safety. After closing her door, he walked over to his side and got in, turned on the car, and drove out of the parking lot. 

The drive to his apartment wasn't long really and when he got there, Van parked the car and ran over to her side to pick Hitomi up into his arms. The woman shifted in his arms so that her face was buried in his chest, causing his face to get bright red. Why was he blushing in the first place anyway? What the hell was going on with him?

Sighing, Van carried her into the lobby and up the elevator to his apartment on the fifth floor. Trying very hard, he somehow got his keys out from his pocket and unlocked his door, pushing it open with his foot. 

Walking into the darkness, Van carried Hitomi into his bedroom and placed her on the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin as she shifted again to get comfortable. His arms immediately missed her warmth for some odd reason. Shaking his head, Van kissed the top of her head before whispering a "sweet dreams" to her. He set the alarm clock to go off at six so she wouldn't be late, then grabbed his night attire and went to change in the bathroom. When he came out, Van grabbed an extra blanket and pillow from the bed and went to sleep on the couch, but one small voice caused him to look back. 

"No… stop… don't touch me… help… Van…"

A nightmare? A memory from that night she told him about on the boat? It didn't matter. Hitomi wanted him there to help her and that's what he promised he would do. Van walked over to the far side of the bed, reached over and took her hand in his. "Shh… It's okay. I'm right here. Nothing's going to hurt you."

Her hold on his hand tightened, causing him to sigh. Her voice broke through the silence again. "Stay with me."

Hitomi was asleep, right? Did she realize what she was saying? Looking at her face, Van knew she was in slumber land, but the grip on his hand told him to stay. Sighing, Van pushed back the covers and climbed in as well. It wasn't like they hadn't slept in the same bed before, but somehow, it was different this time. It was the first time Van actually felt there was a girl next to him, one he cared for greatly. But, how great and deeply did he care for her? Was this feeling something that had a different name?

Van didn't have time to dwell on that, for the sand man soon claimed another victim, causing the raven haired man to fall into a deep slumber, his hand still intertwined with the female beside him's soft, gentle hand.

~

The sound of running water woke him that morning. Van looked over and saw it was about 5:45 in the AM, which just did not register with him, especially since he only went to sleep at around 1:30. Closing his eyes and letting his head fall onto the pillow again, a strange yet very familiar scent filled his nose that seemed to calm him, yet excite him at the same time. It was in the pillow, the sheets and the blankets, all over the room in fact. 

At that moment, there was a knock on his bedroom door and a towel covered Hitomi came into the room. The towel left nothing to the imagination as it hugged her curves in all the right places and exposed the beginnings of the top of a certain female area, but not enough to be considered completely private. Her wet hair clung to her exposed skin, water drops still falling from the ends. She looked positively beautiful.

Hitomi wore a smile on her face. "Morning sunshine. Sorry to wake you, but could you drive me over to my apartment so I can change into some clothes?"

Van blinked a few times, then looked away as his face began to burn from the blush that formed on his face. "Y-yeah. Sure. No problem. Just let me, umm… get dressed and all."

"Thanks." With that, Hitomi took the clothes she had worn the night before and went to change into them while Van collected himself and tried to get the blush off his face. 'What the hell is going on with me?????'

After grabbing his clothes for the day, Van called into the other room, "hey 'Tomi? Do I have time to grab a shower?"

"As long as I'm in and out of my apartment by the latest 6:15."

"And what is inspiring me to do this?"

The sandy brunette leaned against the door frame and gave Van a knowing look. She had on her jeans from the night before and one of Van's shirts with the top few and bottom few buttons undone. Her slightly drying hair fell onto her shoulders lightly. "If you ever want to see this shirt again, you'll take me back to my apartment."

The heat formed on his face again. "Is that a bribe? I could just take it now."

"Oh really? You'd let me go out there topless? I'm sure Allen would find that interesting."

A growl emerged from his chest at the sound of that name. "Alright. Stop talking to me so I can get ready." After she stuck her tongue out at him, Van smiled as he grabbed his apparently dropped clothes and headed into the shower. His whole body felt heated since last night, so a nice shower was exactly what he needed.

As the water splashed down on him, Van's mind drifted. 'I've been acting so strangely since Hitomi began dating Allen. What's wrong with me? I'm being way more overprotective of her than I am with Merle! If I think Allen is such a prick, why am I allowing this to continue?'

"Van Fanel, did you drown in there?!? You've been in that shower for twenty minutes!!! Didn't know you stunk that much."

Shaking his head, Van turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry off. Changing into his clothes in the bathroom, Van walked out into the living room where Hitomi sat waiting for him, not knowing he was finished. With a smile on his face, he leaned in and put his mouth next to her ear. "So are you ready to go or what?"

Hitomi shot up with a small yelp in surprise. "Van Slanzar de Fanel, don't you dare spook me like that again!"

"Didn't know you could jump that high, Kanzaki. Now would you pick up your feet so we can get out of here, or do I have to continue to wait for you?" After dodging the random shoe that was thrown at his head, Van picked up his suitcase and went out the door, Hitomi hot on his heels. "Hey Sparky. Going on a trip or something?"

Van looked at her, then at the bag in his hand, and slowly went back to his apartment. Hitomi just shook her head as he came back with the appropriate bag… yes, a briefcase.

When they finally got into the elevator, Hitomi stood on one side as Van smiled at her from the other. After glaring at him for a minute, Hitomi sighed and rolled her eyes as she walked over to him. "You didn't fix your tie."

"I usually do it while I'm on my way to the office."

"Come here, baka. I'll fix it for you. Now hold still."

As her fingers began to work, the elevator door opened a floor early, allowing an elderly couple to enter. Van could feel her body close to his as her fingers worked their magic on his now perfect tie. While Hitomi concentrated hard on what she was doing, Van closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, the same scent that lingered in his bedroom. 

This small moment was broken up when she pulled away from him. "All done."

The door to the elevator opened as Van gave Hitomi his thanks. The elderly couple smiled at the two as they left the elevator. "Oh Amon. They look so cute together." 

The man nodded. "Reminds me of us at that age, Robin." The woman placed her head on his shoulder as they left, leaving Van blushing like mad. It seemed Hitomi hadn't heard what they said, but he definitely had. 

Finally reaching his car, Hitomi climbed into the passenger's seat as Van started up the vehicle. The ride over was silent, which was a bit unnerving. "You still mad at me?"

"You would need to pick a specific incident there, Sparky. We've been having our share of arguments lately."

This was true. He had been on edge and saying things he didn't mean lately. "All quarrels lately I refer to."

"Well, a lot of no's and a single yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

"To what?"

"What?"

"What are you still mad at me about?"

"Oh. Don't worry about it."

Van looked over at her. "That's horrible."

"What is?"

"That."

"That what?"

"What you just did."

"What did I do?"

"You with the whole 'don't worry about it' thing."

"Well, just don't worry about it and it won't be too horrible for you. You really need to learn to chill out, Sparky."

"You make my head hurt."

"And you're the 'oh-so-successful' advertising person yet you get confused so easily in a simple conversation with a friend who's really just telling you to chill out?"

The traffic light didn't come soon enough. Van turned to Hitomi with a look of plain confusion. "Say what?"

Hitomi looked at him with innocent eyes. "What."

A glare was what she received. "You're just messing with my head the entire time we got into this car, correct?"

"Ah ha! A clue, Sherlock!"

"You really need to stop with that whole 'Robin Williams: Live on Broadway' thing. So are you really still mad at me or what?"

"Mad about what?"

Still glaring, Van took his gaze back to the road. "I'm not talking to you right now."

"Awwww… poor baby. Did I make you upset? Awwww."

"You are just evil."

Suddenly Hitomi sat up in her seat and pointed out the window. "Right there! There's a spot right in front! Get over there! Quick, like a fish!"

Van sped up a tad and just made it into the spot before it was taken by someone else. Hitomi smiled and jumped out. "Be back in a few."

The raven haired man's eyebrows came together as he rolled down the window to call to her. "Like a fish?!?!?"

The emerald eyed girl just laughed as she ran into the building and up to her apartment.

As promised, only about five minutes went by until Hitomi threw open the car door and sank into the seat. Van only raised one eyebrow at her. "Don't even say a thing. I'll return your shirt tomorrow."

Shaking his head, Van pulled out of the spot and headed for the high school. "So do you mind explaining the 'like a fish' thing?"

"No, not at all."

Sighing, Van continued, "Please explain it to me now?"

"Oh, okay. All I can say is go rent the movie 'Chicken Run.' It's worth the money just to hear Mel Gibson's voice come out of a rooster."

"I worry. Oh so very much."

"Someone's gotta."

"Might as well be me. By the way, nice deterioration of the English language."

"Huh?"

"You talka de English good."

"Yah."

"Those poor kids."

"Hey, I'm just the choir director who makes the kids sing in many languages and even in, as you would call it, 'Ebonics.' I was never required to speak it well."

"That just saddens me."

"As long as you don't bring it up with the school, you can be as sad as you want."

Smiling, Van kept on driving as Hitomi stared out the window. "Care for some music?"

"Surely."

Reaching over, Van flicked through his set stations until Hitomi placed her hand on his. "Wait, I'd like to hear this song."

Leaning back a bit, the maroon eyed man listened to the song as he continued to drive. The guitar was nice, but the song had a somewhat sad message which came even more alive as Hitomi sang along with it.

_"Here's a story of a girl,  
Living in the lonely world,  
A hidden note,  
A secret crush,  
A little boy who talks too much.  
  
_

_"Well, I'm standing in the crowd,  
And when you smile I check you out,  
But you don't even know my name,  
Your too busy playing games,  
  
_

_"And I want you too know,  
If you lose your way,  
I won't let you go.  
  
_

_"If I cut my hair,  
If I change my clothes,  
Will you notice me?  
If I bite my lip,  
If I say hello,  
Will you notice me?  
What's it gonna take for you to see  
I want you to notice me,  
I'll get you notice me.  
  
_

_"Got your head up in the clouds,  
Tell me when you're comin down,  
I don't wanna sink your ship,  
It's not about the scholarship,  
  
_

_"And all the friends that follow you,  
Tell you things that just aren't true,  
I'm the girl you never see,  
I'm the one you really need,  
  
_

_"So don't you get me wrong,  
You better make your move,  
Before the moment's gone  
Tell me  
  
_

_"If I cut my hair,  
If I change my clothes,  
Will you notice me?  
If I bite my lip,  
If I say hello,  
Will you notice me?  
What's it gonna take for you to see  
I want you to notice me,  
I'll get you notice me.  
  
_

_"I'm not like the rest,  
I don't care if you're the best,  
You see it, it's all the same to me ,  
You just be who you want to be,  
It's all the same to me,  
  
_

_"Ohhh don't get me wrong,  
You better make your move,  
Before the moment's gone  
Tell me  
  
_

_"If I cut my hair,  
If I change my clothes,  
Will you notice me?  
If I bite my lip  
If I say hello,  
Will you notice me?  
  
_

_" If__ I cut my hair,  
If I change my clothes,  
Will you notice me?  
If I bite my lip  
If I say hello,  
Will you notice me?  
What's it gonna take for you to see  
I want you to notice me,  
I'll get you to notice me..  
I'll get you to notice me..  
I'll get you to notice me.."_

The announcer came on later, but Van tuned it out, concentrating on the words, as was Hitomi apparently. She looked at him with this somewhat… pleading look? It was as if she wanted him to understand something from this song. 'What could this song have to do with her?'

The girl sighed and gave this 'I give up' look as she just resumed staring out the window. 

Van decided to take a chance as he shut off the radio. "Why do you like that song?"

"It's a beautiful song. The meaning behind it is so pure and innocent, yet demanding at the same time."

"Reminds me of a girl I know."

Hitomi mumbled something under her breath, so low he couldn't even hear, but she continued on. "The girl is in love with this guy, but he doesn't notice her at all. In order to gain his attention and possibly his heart, she changes her appearance, her hair and clothes. He's too busy playing silly games to see who she really is, so she changes herself for him."

Van thought about this for a moment. "How does the girl know if he truly doesn't see her or not? I mean, what if he's the one trying to change for her?"

"Oh please. He's a guy! Guys are so dense."

"Hey!"

"What?"

"There is some testosterone in this car, you know."

"My statement still stands."

"Remind me why I'm friends with you?"

"Been wondering about that for years now."

"I must really like you."

"I would hope so. It's either that or you want something from me, using me for something." Hitomi started laughing as Van tensed up. "Nah, you're not that type of person."

Still tense, the maroon eyed man kept driving. "And what type is that? The type to do that to a person?"

Sitting back a bit, Hitomi thought this over. "Well, they would only see a person for what they are worth, as in what they could do to move themselves up in the world. They befriend them and eventually use them to get what they really want, then dump them off to the side. Truly horrible people."

The school finally can into view as the driver sat on edge. 'Is that what I really am?'

"Hey Sparky. You're going to miss the turn."

Shaking his head, Van turned into the school parking lot and stopped at the front door. Hitomi smiled at him as she gathered her stuff together. She never bothered with briefcases, but used a backpack instead. Stepping out of the car, Van could see she had changed into black pants and a white shirt under his white one, which was tied at the waist. Her feet were covered with those black shoes she got a few days back and her hair was pulled back, held in place by the same hair clip. 

Even for a teacher, Hitomi was a bit overdressed. She never wore heels to work, nor did she wear those black pants. 

"So, are you picking me up today or do I have to borrow someone's car?"

"Huh? Oh, I'll come get you. Hey, 'Tomi? What's with the look? You usually don't dress like that to work."

A shrug was all he got. "Felt like I should try something else, change it up a bit. I'll see you later."

"Bye Hitomi."

Waving, Hitomi smiled as she walked into the school, her heels clicking on the cement and later on the tile floors. Van sat there a moment longer before driving away. 'Change it up a bit?'

~

Van glared at his computer as that damn cursor was just blinking again. He was down to his last file before lunch when the phone at his desk rang. Sighing, he checked his watch to see he had a few minutes left before he was to pick up Hitomi. Allen had already gone off somewhere a while ago. 'Probably off fixing his hair.' 

The phone kept ringing until finally Van reached over to answer it. "Van Fanel's desk."

"Really Just the desk? I was hoping to speak with the person working at the desk."

A smile spread on his face as he heard her voice. "Hey Hitomi. I was just about to get ready to come get you."

"Er, that's what I'm calling about."

"Oh?"

"Allen's here."

Van's left eye began twitching. "I repeat, oh?"

"He wants to take me out to lunch today."

"What's my excuse today?"

"You're apparently working on a whole bunch of files."

At that moment, a random person walked up to Van's desk and dropped off, you guessed it, a whole bunch of files. Groaning, he went back to the phone. "And they just happened to fall on my desk now."

"Van, I kind of don't want to be alone with him. Could you meet us there?"

"Where's he taking you?"

"Some place called Dragon Slayers?"

"Must have been a Dilly suggestion."

"Hmm?"

"Never mind. You guys heading over there now?"

"Soon."

"Where are you that he's allowing you to make this call?"

"Locked up in my office while he's watching my class." A loud crash was heard at that moment as an 'eep' was heard from the sandy brunette. "Er, got to go. I think my students just attacked him."

Van laughed at the thought of freshmen and sophomores attacking the "professional" businessman. "Alright. I'll meet you there."

"Arigatou, Van.  Ja ne!"

"Ja." Putting the phone back in its cradle, Van stretched and got up, grabbing his coat and keys on the way. 

"Heading out for lunch?" Van looked back to see Maaya smiling at him. "Mind if I look at some of those files while you're gone?"

"Help yourself. Any messages for her?"

"Only to give me a call sometime. Oh, and Van? I had something to ask you."

Turning to face her, the man stood beside the elevator. "Shoot."

"I was wondering who you were bringing to the banquet on Saturday."

His first reaction was to say Hitomi, but he stopped himself. 'The whole point of this was so Allen would have someone to go with.' Suppressing yet another growl, Van shrugged. "I'm still thinking about it."

"You better hurry. It's already Wednesday. Only three more days left." With that, Maaya turned and left after smiling at him, letting him go on his little lunch date.

'Only three more days and then this nightmare will be over. I can hardly wait.' With a new spring in his step, Van went onto the elevator and soon to his car to meet the couple. A weird feeling hit his stomach, as if a certain doom was coming soon. Shaking his head, Van started up the car and drove to this oh-so-wonderful lunch.

~

The place was actually pretty dark, lots of reds and blacks to add to the effect. A shiver went through Van's spine as he walked over to the hostess and smiled. "Hi. I'm supposed to meet my friends here and I think I'm running a little late."

The woman smiled back at him in a somewhat flirtatious way. "Names?"

"Allen Schezar and Hitomi Kanzaki."

Still smiling, the woman turned her attention to the paper in front of her and scanned the list. "Ah yes. Right this way please." Grabbing an extra menu, the woman walked towards the table, making sure to swing her hips a bit more. Van rolled his eyes and followed "Hippy", as he dubbed her. When he got closer to the table, he noticed right away Hitomi leaning back in her seat, as if trying to get away from Allen, who was leaning forward and trying to take her hand. At this exact moment, The blond asshole, er I mean man, was trying to rub his leg against hers, which she was not enjoying at all.

"Allen. Hitomi. Nice to see you two." Van smiled as the woman grabbed him a chair. He took it from her and sat next to Hitomi, as close as the chair would allow him. Hitomi sent him a grateful look while Allen looked very very annoyed. 

"Fanel, what are you doing here?"

"Well, it is my lunch break, and Hitomi did mention you were taking her to this restaurant, so I thought I'd drop by and see what it's like. I mean Dilly has been going on and on about it and all."

Was it his imagination or did a vein just pop out of Allen's forehead? It didn't matter. Van felt Hitomi's hand on his, her silent 'thank you' to him. "You don't mind, do you Allen?" Hitomi just batted her eyelashes at him while giving him nice big innocent eyes. Van knew Allen was toast with that look.

"What? N-no, not at all. The more the merrier. I'm just a little concerned since Van has a lot of work to do today."

"Nothing I can't handle with a little overtime, Allen."

Both men were glaring at each other, but with different meanings. Allen's definitely read "get the hell out of here" while Van's clearly read "back off, you bastard." Poor Hitomi was caught in the middle. "So, what's the quickest thing on this menu? I have my next class in about a half hour."

Allen tore his glare away from Van and gazed suggestively at her. "Just skip it. I'm sure they won't mind. I have a few things in mind we could do."

A nice loud bang was heard as Allen cringed in pain. Van gave his best innocent look. "Oh, so sorry Allen. Leg spasm. Must be from being stuck at my desk sitting all day."

Hitomi did her best to contain herself. It wouldn't be right to burst out laughing in front of your date at his expense. She just wished she had been the one to kick him, and a little higher than the leg next time. "Sorry, Allen, but I have a job to do and a responsibility to my students to be there."

"Next time then."

"Maybe."

Van sat there in silence for awhile, just watching how Allen acted around Hitomi. Some moments, Allen tried to do a little more than talk, but backed off after seeing the look Van sent him each time. The blond baboon, er, male was getting a bit more than ticked off by the time the food was finished. 

Hitomi sighed as she reached for her wallet around her neck to pay for her portion of the meal. 

"Please, my sweet Hitomi. It's my treat."

"No, I insist on paying for my part."

"The gentlemanly thing to do is pay for his woman's meal."

Van sat straight up on that, knowing what was about to happen. The flames in Hitomi's eyes went straight to inferno as she tried to calm herself down. "Your… woman???"

Allen, however, didn't seem to notice and stayed calm while placing the credit card on the folder holding the check. "Correct. You are my woman at this point, seeing as how you somehow made it all the way to the fourth date. From now on, you can proudly tell your friends you're dating Allen Schezar."

Van smacked his forehead for two reasons: to show the shear stupidity of Allen's actions, and to prevent the ice cold water to fly into his eyes by accident. Hitomi was quick with her attack as she dumped her full water glass on top of Allen's head. The man was completely unpleased, to say the least. 

Hitomi slammed the glass back onto the table and glared at him. "Listen up and listen good. I am no man's "woman", nor with I ever agree to this title, you chauvinistic pig! There is no way in hell I'd go around "proudly" saying I belong to something like you who doesn't even know how to treat a real woman. You make it sound like I passed some stupid test of yours, which is completely ridiculous. I will not be treated as some inferior being that should jump for joy if you even cast a look my way. You are not, I repeat, NOT some god that women should worship, so do yourself a favor and knock down your own pedestal you have yourself on!" Hitomi threw her seat in and looked at Van, then back to Allen. "Oh, and this is the part where I storm out on you, but I'm sure you've been in this situation before. Van, please drive me to the school."

She didn't have to ask him twice as Van shot up and walked out with her, leaving the wet dog where he sat. There was a bit of applause in the restaurant as they left, but Van didn't pay it much mind. Instead, he pointed to where his car was and followed the royally ticked off woman.

When they were safely on their way to the school, Van took Hitomi's hand. "I'm so sorry, 'Tomi."

"His woman?!?!?!? Why doesn't he just club me on the head and drag me back to his cave while he's at it?!?"

"That was a very very dumb move. I was shocked, to say the least. You gave him exactly what he deserved. I knew the old Hitomi was still in there."

"Old Hitomi?"

"The one I remember all the bullies were afraid of in high school." 

"Ah, the good old days."

"Hey, you okay? I mean with him?"

"Why did he have to be such an asshole?"

"You mean besides the fact that it's in his nature?"

Shaking her head, Hitomi stared out the window to try and calm herself down. "I just don't understand how he could have gone from that wonderful night to… to… this!"

Sighing, Van squeezed her hand. "I don't know either. You want me to talk to him when he gets back to the office?"

"If you feel the need."

Another sigh escaped his lips as guilt began to hit him seeing her so upset. "I'm sorry Hitomi. It's my fault you got hung up with this guy."

"Don't worry about it. I'm a big girl, Van. I could have said no."

"You did say no."

"I could have stopped after one date, but I didn't. Thus, the blame shifts from you to me, leaving you clear of any guilt you might be feeling."

A smile spread on his face. "Thanks 'Tomi."

"Just think twice before you have me date one of your friends again, Sparky."

"I promise. No more set ups from me."

"Just remember to keep to that promise."

"I told you. I will never break a promise I make, especially to you."

"Good answer."

Van finally pulled into the school drive and up to the front door. Hitomi turned to leave when Van placed his hand on her shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

A smile was what he received, which made his heart skip a beat. "I'm fine, really I am. Thank you for coming today with us. I have a feeling a lot of shiznit was prevented because you were there. Oh, and the so called 'leg spasm' was just wonderful."

"All part of being the best friend. But, you're welcome. I'll always come to help you, Hitomi. Don't forget that."

"Ditto." With that, Hitomi placed a small, light, but quick kiss on his cheek before getting out of the car and running into the school. 

Raising a hand to where she had kissed him, Van was in slight shock. His face burned with immense heat and his heart was pounding very hard in his chest. What was going on with him?!? 

~

"Fanel. In my office. Now"

Van had just walked onto the office floor when he heard Allen call to him. The man sounded less than pleased, to say the least. Cringing, the raven haired man walked over to the big office and walked in. "Yes?"

Allen turned to face him while still sitting in his office chair. The look on his face clearly said he was ticked off. "What the hell was _that_, Fanel?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

Slamming his hands onto the desk, Allen shot up from his chair and glared at Van with intense blue eyes. "This is _not_ acceptable, Fanel. I will not tolerate having some woman throw water on me and storm out of the restaurant as if I did something horribly wrong!"

Van looked at him as if he had three heads. "Are you insane?!? I told you from the beginning Hitomi is a very independent woman, meaning she will flip out if someone 'claims' her! Your woman?!?! That was your death ticket right there! I'm surprised she didn't do worse!  And Hitomi is not, I repeat, NOT just 'some woman'! I refused to stand here and listen to her be called as such!"

"Watch your tone with me, Fanel. Now tell me the truth. What is really between you two?"

That took Van by surprise. It took him a moment to comprehend that. "What?"

"What is really going on between you and Hitomi? I demand an answer."

Van took another moment before he answered. "Hitomi is my best friend in the entire world."

"You sure there's nothing else other than friendship?"

"She's kind of like another sister to me." That statement had a bad taste to it in his mouth, as if that wasn't true.

Allen looked him over for a moment before sitting down again. "And it is the job of an older brother to help and protect his sister. You had no right to be there today."

"She asked me to come."

The blonde's eyes narrowed a bit at that. "Oh really?" Seeing that Van wasn't going to reply, he continued. "Listen up Fanel, because I'm only going to say this once. What goes on between me and Hitomi stays there. There will be no more interruptions or surprise appearances from you. You will stay around this building during your lunch break, which will be reduced to now only a half hour. Outside phone calls are limited to about ten minutes each every other hour. There is no discussion on this. You're lucky I'm not taking you off the ballot for the Rand account… yet. Now, go back to your desk and work on those files."

Seeing the conversation was over, Van gritted his teeth and left the office before he lost his job. What the hell was going on lately? Why the hell was he going through this?

Walking over to his desk, he saw a concerned Mrs. Kanzaki sitting there waiting for him. "Van? I need to talk to you about these files."

With a heavy sigh, Van fell into his chair and looked at her. "What is it?"

She opened the file and pointed to the top of the page. "All the files had this in common. They are all Mr. Schezar's work."

Confused, Van looked over. "What do you mean?"

"These are back files and recent one that he was supposed to do. In other words, you're doing all the files he's supposed to be doing. I think he's handing in your work as his own."

Realization dawned on him then. 'That's why he's been giving me so much work. That bastard! He's just passing on his responsibilities to me so he can go out with Hitomi! That's the real reason!' Oh, Van was ticked off royally. His grip on the file was so tight it looked as if it would rip at any moment. He had half a mind to march in there and demand to know what was going on… yet… 

Van sighed and put the file down, confusing poor Maaya. "There's nothing I can do about it, Maaya."

"Of course there is! You can march in there and demand an explanation!"

"I can't. He would take me off the Rand account or even fire me."

"Oh Van, it isn't worth all this."

Smiling a sad smile, Van sighed. "I've already come this far. There's no turning back now. I better get started on this." Turning his chair to the computer, Van began plucking away at it while Mrs. Kanzaki sighed and stood. "You deserve so much better than this, Van."

"Could you do me a favor?"

Maaya looked back at him. "Hmm?"

"Please tell Hitomi I'm sorry, but my work load has increased and I will be unable to meet her for lunch all this week."

The meaning of his works hit Maaya as she sadly nodded. "Sure Van. I'll do that now."

"Thank you." Van continued to strike the keys on the keyboard, working hard on those files Allen wanted so badly. What had he gotten himself into?

~

The sound of typing was heard in the now empty room. Van sat there at around 9:45pm still working on those stupid files of Allen's. He was tempted to do a half ass job and let Allen take the blame, but he couldn't allow himself not to do his best. 

"Is a meatball hero good enough for you?"

Van turned around and saw his angel standing there with two bags in her hand. Hitomi smiled at him as she walked over and sat in the extra chair. Handing him one of the bags, she leaned back in the chair and began to eat her own meatball sub. 

The maroon eyed man sighed as he took his food out of the bag. "I owe you so much, 'Tomi."

"Of course you do." With a smile, she shook her head. "It's, how did you put it… all part of being the best friend."

Smiling at her, Van bit into his sandwich and took a swig of the coke she brought for him to drink. "How are the files coming, Sparky?"

"Oh, almost done I guess."

"How many more?"

"Only one."

"Mind if I bug you while you're trying to work?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Then I don't mind."

Hitomi got comfortable in the chair as Van worked, typing away at the computer. "Please tell me you didn't take the bus again."

"Okay, I won't." Sighing, Van looked at her and shook his head. She just smiled. "Kenji dropped me off. I have to wash his car sometime this weekend, but it's all good."

"You do realize it's supposed to snow Saturday night, right?"

"Now I do."

Smiling, Van continued his work while eating at the same time. Hitomi sat there and kept him company again. At around 10:30, Van typed the last sentence needed to finish the file for good. 

Hitomi sat up and smiled. "Want to go somewhere?"

"Yeah. I have the perfect place in mind."

"Oh?"

"Diner then your place?"

"Why the heck not? You're the driver."

"Oh I feel special now."

"Whatever floats your boat."

"I would hope it would float."

Rolling her eyes, Hitomi gave him that friendly smack in the arm before stretching to get the kinks out of her back. Van laughed at the cracking noises and got up, extending his hand to her. "Mademoiselle?" 

Smiling, Hitomi took his hand and shook her head. "You are such a nut."

"Macadamia?

"Of course."

"Sweet."

"I worry."

Laughing, Van led Hitomi over to the elevator, briefcase and jacket in hand. As they were approaching the car, Hitomi snapped her fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot. I have to ask you something." She slid into her seat and waited for him to do the same before she continued. "Allen came by tonight, before I came to see you."

Van had started up the car and was backing up when she said that. "What?"

"Yeah. Don't know how he found my address."

"Umm, the phone book?"

"Ah, that damn thing."

"What did he do?"

"He came to the door, so apparently someone let him in. Anyway, I opened the door and was greeted with at least two dozen blood red roses. Allen gave me this look and apologized for his behavior. Said something about wanting to make it up to me by taking me to this banquet on Saturday. Apparently it's for this company."

Van nodded. "Yeah. I have to go to it too. So what did you tell him?"

"I said I'd think about it, then he kissed my hand before leaving, saying that's all he asks for." 

Van's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "He kissed your hand?"

With a nod, Hitomi continued. "He was acting like that one night I told you about. Anyway, I wanted to know what you think I should tell him. Should I go?"

Everything inside him told Van to tell her not to go, but then the idea of Dilandau with that account popped into his mind. Taking a deep breath, Van nodded. "I think you should go."

"Even after all he's done?"

"That was a mistake. I already talked to him about it. He did say he wanted to make it up to you for acting like his old self." That was a bold faced lie.

A sigh escaped her lips as Hitomi sat back a bit. "If you think it's a good idea, I'll call him when I get back."

His insides screamed for him to tell her not to go, but what choice did he have? He'd lose everything if she didn't go. Van turned down one street, causing Hitomi to sit up. To answer her unasked question, Van told her, "Let's just head over to your place. Not really hungry after that sub."

Hitomi just shrugged as she leaned forward to put the radio on. After finding a station she liked, she leaned back and closed her eyes, listening to the words of the song. Van listened closely as well.

_"I like who I am  
But I guess you don't  
I think that I can   
But you think I won't  
Amount to anything at all  
  
_

_"If you love me,  
You sure show it strange  
Is there anything that you would want to change?  
I can't be your paper doll.   
  
_

_"I wanna be perfect,  
But I'm me  
I wanna be flawless,  
But you see  
Every little crack  
Every chip,  
Every dent  
Every little mistake,  
I wanna be perfect  
Just like you,  
But there's only so much that a girl can do  
When I look in the mirror,  
It makes sense to me,  
Perfectly  
Perfectly  
  
_

_"I like worn out shoes  
You like high heels, and fantasies  
But I'm what's real  
I guess you could say  
The shoe don't fit  
Maybe I'm from Venus   
You're from mars  
My imperfections are what they are  
I guess one of us must deal, with it  
  
_

_"I wanna be perfect,  
But I'm me  
I wanna be flawless,  
But you see  
Every little crack,  
Every chip,  
Every dent,  
Every little mistake, yeah  
I wanna be perfect,  
Just like you  
But there's only so much,  
That a girl can do  
When I look,   
In the mirror,  
What I see,  
Makes sense to me, yeah  
Perfectly  
Oh, perfectly  
  
_

_"I try to fit  
In the mold   
That you make  
But I'm tired of playing   
This little charade  
  
_

_"I wanna be perfect,  
But I'm me  
I wanna be flawless,  
But you see  
Every little crack,  
Every chip,  
Every dent,  
Every little mistake, yeah  
I wanna be perfect,  
Just like you  
But there's only so much,  
That a girl can do  
When I look,   
In the mirror,  
What I see  
Makes sense to me, yeah  
Perfectly"_

Van turned off the radio after that, letting the words sink in. Was that what he was doing to Hitomi? Soon, the parking area for her apartment building came into view and pulled in, Hitomi sitting up at the sight of the building. After parking the car, Hitomi got out and walked toward the building, Van following her. 

The lobby was empty as usual, meaning the elevator should be abandoned. Going up, the sandy brunette leaned against the wall, obviously looking tired. Van looked at her with sympathy. "Do you want to reschedule this?"

"No no. I'm okay. Just thinking."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Only when people interrupt me."

Smiling, they both left the elevator and walked over to her apartment. While she fumbled to find the right key, Van looked down the empty hallway he was so used to walking down. As usual, it was empty. What went on in those other room anyway? Were they as inviting as Hitomi's apartment?

"Sparky? You zoning?"

Van shook his head and looked at her. Hitomi had the door open and was waiting for him to come in. He did so and made his way for the couch. "Ah, much more comfortable than that stupid chair."

"I would hope so." Hitomi smiled at him, then headed over to the DVD selection. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Doesn't matter. Just pick something."

"Give me a number from one to ten."

"82."

"Six it is." Hitomi grabbed a DVD and put it in the machine, coming over to the couch and sitting down. Van found the remote and handed it to her. The movie began and Van smiled.  "Strictly Ballroom?"

"Gotta love the 'Ugly Duckling' theme. And don't tell me you don't enjoy seeing the girls in the dance outfits."

"Get out of my head, Kanzaki."

"Ah! I never wanted to go in there! Too much of an echo effect."

Van reached over and grabbed her, pulling her close to him. "Be nice or I'll start the tickle torture."

"We are both too tired, so that threat is pretty empty."

"This is true. Now be quiet and watch the movie." 

Both turned their faces towards the TV screen to watch the film, but Van still had his hold on her, keeping Hitomi very close to him, her head on his shoulder. By the middle of the movie, the two had shifted so that Van laid across the couch, Hitomi's head laying on his chest as his arm was wrapped around her waist. Hitomi was between the back of the couch and Van, her arms and head on his chest. Van's other arm was bent back so that his head was leaning on it. Their legs had intertwined at that point, but both did not take notice to how they were positioned. 

By the time the movie ended, both were fast asleep on the couch, caught in each other's embrace.

~*~Finally!!!! This chapter is now done! This is 25 full pages in Word! Over 12,000 words!!!!! You better appreciate this!!!!!! The songs were both from the movie "Pixel Perfect". I can guarantee chapters won't be this long again! This was to make up for my lack of update in over two months. GOMEN!!!!! 

If I have the timing correct in my head, the banquet is only two days away. Are you guys as excited as I am??

Quick shout out to my buddy Birdie, since she hasn't figured out how to leave reviews yet. Hehehe. She was looking forward for an update for awhile now. 

The next chapter might take about a month to get out, since this semester is kicking my ass pretty much. Please review and if you have any questions for me, I'll try and answer them in the next chapter.

Ja ne!!!!!!!~*~


	8. The Final Days

-I wonder if this thing will ever get more than 100 reviews… hmm… Let's make it happen people or else this is your last chapter!!! Lol. J/K. Here we are, chapter seven. It's broken up a lot, but there is a reason.-  
-----------------------------------------

**_Chapter Seven: The Final Days_**

Sitting at his computer, Van typed away as best as he could. Somehow, his mind just could not concentrate on his work this morning. It wasn't that the file was boring or hard, but rather his thoughts traveled elsewhere, somewhere far away from the office.

Looking at the clock, Van saw it was nearly lunch time and he hadn't finished even half of his work. This was not like him at all. Usually it was all done by now. Sighing, Van continued to work, but his mind kept on drifting to that morning.

_-Flashback-_

_That scent. That same scent surrounded him, inviting him into comfort and warmth. It sent a content feeling all throughout his body, making Van curl into the object producing this scent. This thing had a soft feel to it, curves in all the right places. A soft, light feeling was brushing against his face, making Van shift his head to the side to inhale more of this scent. He could hear his cell phone going off on the other side of the room, signaling him to get up and start the day. In an act of protest, Van curled more into this comfort object, wrapping his arms around it and bringing it closer to him. _

_That damn phone kept on ringing, demanding to be heard. Sighing, Van opened his eyes to locate the murderer of his slumber. Blinking a few times, his maroon eyes flew wide open when he realized what his "comfort object" really was. 'Hitomi?!?' The position he was in was what concerned him the most._

_Hitomi lay there on the couch with her head on his arm while her own arms were pressed up against his chest. Her legs were intertwined with his while her body was pressed up against his, due to the fact his arms were tightly wrapped around her. His head was above hers, causing him to inhale the smell of her hair. If someone were to walk in on them right now, they would have thought the two of them were lovers._

_With heat growing on the back of his neck and traveling up to his face, Van slowly tried to disconnect himself from his best friend, who was still asleep. He eventually succeeded in gaining his freedom, but immediate felt the loss of her warmth. 'Just like the other night. But why?'_

_A soft groan was heard as Van looked over at the sleeping angel. He took a quick look over at the clock to see just how much time he had before he had to wake her. "What are you looking for?"_

_Van turned his head back to Hitomi, causing his breath to catch in his throat. Her hair was scrambled and out of place, wild and free hanging over her shoulders. Those emerald eyes of hers sparkled with that just-got-up look. Breath taking._

_"Hello? Earth to Sparky. Anything in there this fine, fabulous morning? Fanel!"_

_Snapping out of his daze, Van nodded. "Huh?"_

_"Oh very articulate. And you're in the advertising business? Scary."_

_Shaking his head, Van tried to think of a comeback, but none would surface in his mind as he watched her stretch, arms high above her head, causing her shirt to slowly rise to reveal her stomach. He could feel the heat on his face again and had to turn away. _

_Suddenly, Van felt a delicate hand on his forehead. Turning his head back, he gazed into Hitomi's emerald eyes, full of concern. "Well, you don't have a fever…"_

_"Wh-what are you doing?"_

_"Well, first you space out, then you have no come back, then your face got red. I figured you must be sick or something. Maybe you should take the day off and rest."_

_Pushing her hand away, Van got up and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm fine."_

_Hitomi blinked at him, but shrugged. "You want the shower?"_

_Van just nodded in response, got up and walked into the bathroom. His mind went all over the place during his shower. 'Why am I looking at her so differently? I'm acting all weird too. It's as if I'm a shy highschooler with a crush on a girl.' That caused him to pause. 'Is that it? It couldn't be! Hitomi's my best friend! There's no way I could be attracted to her.' Van smacked his hand against the shower wall, using his arms to support him. "There's just no way!"_

_There was a knock on the door, causing Van to turn towards it. "You okay in there, Sparky?"_

_After taking a deep breath, Van called back. "Yeah. I'm fine. Be out in a minute." Closing his eyes, the raven haired man sighed deeply. 'What the hell is going on with me?'_

_Turning off the water, Van dried himself off with a towel and changed into his clothes. Coming out of the bathroom, strange scents hit him. Following his nose, he walked into the kitchen where Hitomi was standing by the stove. "Park it if you want breakfast. Pancakes."_

_Doing as she said, Van waited until she came over with the plate. He took two and put them on his plate, thanking her. Hitomi pulled out the chair, sat down and stared at him. Van turned to her. "Can I help you?"_

_"Yeah. You can tell me what's wrong."_

_"What makes you think something's wrong?"_

_"Eleven years of knowing you. There's something on your mind."_

_Sighing, Van put a fork full of pancake into his mouth. "It's nothing."_

_Raising an eyebrow, Hitomi didn't give up. "You just ate that without your usual syrup drowning it. What's wrong, Van?"_

_Van slammed his hand down hard onto the table, startling Hitomi greatly. "Look, there's nothing wrong, so just back off! Damn it! Stop trying to act like my mother!"_

_Completely shocked, Hitomi replied in a weak voice. "I'm just trying to help, trying to be your best friend."_

_"Then back off. I don't need your help." With that, he threw back his chair and stormed out. "Find some other ride to work." Van then slammed her door and marched off to his car. As he was driving away, he realized what had just happened. 'Oh Kami. What have I done?'_

_-End Flashback-_

Just thinking about it again caused guilt to flow throughout him. He had no right to yell at her like that. She was only concerned about him, which was natural. Why the hell was all this happening?

Shaking his head, Van tried yet again to work on his files. Wait, that's not true. He went back to work on _Allen's_ files. Yeah, the bastard left a lot of work for him today. That was no surprise, considering the new restrictions that were placed on him.

"Van?"

The said man turned to look at the sandy brunette standing in the doorway. Hitomi wore a black skirt that came right about her knees and a dark charcoal colored blouse, that black purse hanging off her shoulder. Her hair was pulled back, half up, with a regular hairclip. Was she wearing makeup? Yes, her eyelids were brown with white up to her eyebrows and her lips were a dark red. Why was she dressed like this?

Clearing his throat, Van looked away, realizing he was staring. "What is it?"

"I came to pick you up. We have to talk."

Before he could answer, Allen came into view. "Van, I have some more files for you to do." When he came close enough, the blond looked up and smiled. "Well, hello Hitomi. You look beautiful today. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

Van did not like Allen looking her up and down like that, not at all. His hands tensed as he tried not to punch his face in.

Hitomi shot Allen a look that clearly stated she was annoyed. "I came to see Van. It's my turn to pick him up for lunch today."

"Oh. I'm sorry, but Van has too much work to do today. He'll even have to work through his lunch period." Allen gave Van a look in order to keep him quiet. "I, on the other hand, am free. Where would you like to go?"

"Sorry Allen, but I really need to talk to Van."

"I just told you he's too busy to chat."

"And I told you I don't care. I need to talk to him, not to you."

That caused Allen to back off a bit. He glared at Van then turned back to her. "Perhaps after he gets off work he'll be able to socialize."

"Oh I so enjoy you talking for him as if he can't talk for himself." Hitomi turned to Van then, turning her back to Allen. "Van, please call me as soon as you can. It's important that we talk. Please?"

Van nodded. "Promise."

A smile was what he received. "Good. I better get back to the school. Talk to you later, Van."

"Bye Hitomi."

"Bye Fanel." With that, Hitomi headed for the elevator, not even looking back at Allen, who was fuming. The man glared down at his employee as he dropped the files onto his desk. "You're lucky she already agreed to go with me to the banquet. Just remember those conditions, Fanel."

Nodding, Van sighed. "Yes sir."

"Good boy. I want these on my desk by tomorrow morning. They better be the first things I see or else." Allen then walked off towards his office, leaving Van to glare daggers at his retreating figure. 'Asshole.'

Shaking his head, Van grabbed a file and dove back into his work. Nothing disturbed him as Van was completely focused on his task. At around four, Maaya came to his desk. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

He gave her a weak smile and motioned to his extra chair in the corner. "I could use the distraction. What's on your mind?"

The woman sat and looked at him like a mother who knew her child did something wrong. Considering she was like his second mother, Van was a tad uncomfortable. He sat in silence until she spoke. "I talked with Hitomi today at lunch."

"Oh?"

"She told me she was going to the banquet on Saturday."

"Yeah. So?"

"So when I asked if she was going with you, she told me no. Care to explain to me why she's going with Mr. Schezar?"

"What makes you think I have anything to do with it?" The glare he received was enough to tell him to talk. Sighing, Van sat back in his chair. "Look, he asked her and she said yes. That's all there is."

"Van Slanzar de Fanel, don't you dare lie to me. And don't say you aren't. You aren't looking me in the eye. What's really going on?"

"W-why do you think something's going on?"

"First off, you haven't looked me in the eye lately. Second, you stutter when you talk, which means you're nervous. Third, you and Hitomi had a fight this morning apparently, which she is upset about. Forth…"

"Okay okay. I get the point. I'm just stressed out."

"Van…" Maaya had that warning tone in her voice, saying she wanted to know this minute.

"Look, I can't explain right now. After the banquet, I'll explain everything. Just please, don't make me tell you now."

Shaking her head, Mrs. Kanzaki stood and turned to leave. "I just hope you know what you're doing and if it's worth it. If it's what I think, you could lose a lot more than you will gain." With that, she left, leaving Van sitting there.

'I really don't know anything anymore. If I did, I wouldn't have snapped at her today.' Running a hand through his hair, Van sat up and began to finish his work on the current file. 'I don't have time to dwell on this. No more interruptions.'

The other employees left at their normal time of five in the afternoon, all waving at him and wishing him luck with his work. Van would look up and nod, sometimes giving a weak smile. A loud grumble told him to make a quick run to the vending machine and Van would have done so if his phone didn't ring at that moment. Van looked over at it sitting on his desk and sighed. 'I'll just let it ring.'

After about another hour of silence, save for the typing of the keys, Van's cell phone rang, the specific ringer telling him exactly who it was. Taking a glance at the phone, he shook his head and went back to the screen, letting that stupid ring of hers continue to play. How he had let her talk him into allowing her to put "Tank" from Cowboy Bebop on his phone was beyond him, though it did put a smile on his face. But at the moment, all Van did was let it ring, which echoed throughout the empty office.

--

The door creaked open as an exhausted Van walked into his dark apartment, opting to leave the lights off. A red blink was coming from the kitchen counter, telling him to check his answering machine. After debating about it for a moment, considering it was almost midnight, Van smacked the button and sat at the kitchen table, listening to the random voices that came through.

"Hey Sparky, it's me. You must have had your cell phone on silent again. I really need to talk to you. It's not just about what happened this morning. Please call me when you get this message. Later!"

Beep

"Van! It's Merle! Where are you? Hopefully not still working! I thought you got off by now. Anyway, mom was looking for you, something about a family reunion or whatever. Basically she wants to see that we're all alive. Either call her or me back soon! Bye bye!"

Beep

"Fanel, it's me again. Where are you? I can't reach you on your cell or here. Don't make me sit up all night and track you down. Please, call me."

Beep

"Van, it's Folken. I was hoping to speak with you tomorrow at lunch. Call either my cell and leave your reply or leave a message with my secretary. It's rather important. Oh, and I think Mother wishes to speak with you. Ja."

'Folken? Why does he want to meet me?'

Beep

"Van Fanel, if you don't call me back this night, I'm gonna ring your neck! Don't think I won't!! Call me!"

Beep

"Van, it's mom. As I'm sure you are aware of by now, I'm trying to have everyone get together sometime and I wanted to know your schedule so I can pick the best day for all. Also, I'd like to catch up a bit. I haven't heard from you in a long time. Take care. Bye."

A monotone machine voice came on next. "End of messages." Van sighed and looked at the clock once again. 'Is it too late to call?' Shrugging, he picked up his cell and dialed the correct number. Hearing the voice mail message, he waited until after the beep. "Hey, it's me. Just got your message now. Can we meet at the café across from where I work at about one? Just leave me another message if you can meet there or not. Ja."

Hanging up the phone, Van stretched and walked into his bedroom. After changing into the appropriate attire, he climbed into his bed. That same scent, her scent, filled his nose as it lingered on his pillows and sheets. It was to this scent that lulled him into a peaceful sleep.

_--_

_The church was beautiful today, the weather perfect for a day such as this. Van stood right outside the sanctuary greeting people when a woman with blond hair came up to him. "Van, she's asking for you. I think it's important."_

_"Danielle? What's wrong?"_

_"All I know is she needs to see you before the ceremony." _

_Nodding his head, Van headed off towards the special room designed for this one person's preparation. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door lightly. _

_The voice that answered was timid and shy. "Who is it?"_

_"It's me. You decent?"_

_After a few seconds, the door creaked open as an emerald eyed girl stuck her head through the crack. "Come on in." She parted the door more so that he could fit through. _

_Once he was in the room, Van turned to the woman. "What's going on, Tomi?"_

_The sandy brunette began pacing back and forth, fidgeting a bit, telling him right away she was nervous. "Van? I have a favor to ask."_

_Stepping forward, he looked her in the eyes. "What is it?"_

_Hitomi hesitated a bit. "Well, you see, I don't have anyone to walk with me."_

_Raising one eyebrow, he questioned. "Walk with you?"_

_"To walk me down the aisle."_

_At this, Van took a step back. "Hitomi, what are you asking me?"_

_Taking a deep breath, Hitomi gathered up all her courage. "Van, would you walk me down the aisle?"_

_It was then that Van noticed what she was wearing. Her white dress swept the floor in a flowing manner in a somewhat bell-like shape, her curves accented by the waist line and her shoulders bare as the fabric came below them. Her thin veil came down to her knees in the back. On her face was that deep red lipstick as her eyes were highlighted white, her eye lashes done with mascara. She was breathtaking. _

_Van took a moment to collect himself before he processed what she had asked of him. "You want me to walk you down the aisle?"_

_Biting her lower lip, Hitomi nodded. "Please Van. You are my absolute best friend in the entire world, the most important person in my life. It only seems right that you stand besides me, that you give me away."_

_His heart was racing and in pain at the same time. Lowering his head, Van replied, "No."_

_A small gasp was what he heard, for he refused to meet her eyes. "What?"_

_"I won't do it."_

_Her voice sounded almost desperate. "Why?"_

_At this, he looked up at her, into her beautiful emerald eyes that were shining with unshed tears. "You know I would do anything for you. I'd even give up my life for you with no hesitation. But I cannot walk down that aisle with you and give you away to another man who isn't me."_

_That caused both of them to pause, both in shock at Van's little confession. Is that what he meant? "Van, what are you saying?"_

_Walking right up to her, Van took Hitomi into his arms and whispered into her ear, "I think at some point on this road we walked on side by side, I fell so deeply in love with you."_

_A small gasp was heard as he leaned his head back to look into her eyes once again. Tears were forming in those eyes and he so desperately wanted to rid her of them. Before he thought this over, Van lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers, sending all he felt for her into that moment._

_To his dismay and horror, Hitomi pulled away from him, out of his grasp. "Van, you're too late. I'm getting married. I've moved on, Van. I'm so sorry." Shaking her head at him, Hitomi picked up her bouquet and walked towards the door, away from him. As she was about to leave, he heard her whisper softly, "Why couldn't you have figured it out sooner?"_

_Van whirled around to face her. "Hitomi!" But it was too late. Hitomi had already walked out the door, out of his life and into the waiting arms of another man. The maroon eyed man sank to his knees and tried to force away the tears that threatened to fall. He had lost her, forever._

--

A loud beeping noise broke Van away from his deep slumber, startling him. With heavy breathing, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. 'That dream.' Shaking his head, Van threw off his covers, which he discovered were soaked with sweat. That did not concern him at the moment as he headed into the shower to wash away the effects of his dream.

Van placed his forehead against the wall of the shower as the water pour down on him. In a pleading and almost desperate voice, he whispered to himself, "What the hell is going on with me?"

Receiving no answer, he turned off the water and got ready for his long and task filled day of work. 'I still have a lunch appointment to keep as well. Hopefully I get some answers soon.' With that, Van picked up his briefcase and left his apartment, but remembering to grab his jacket as well. 'The days are getting colder and colder now.'

The raven haired man soon got into his car and drove off to work.

Van smiled as he stood up in his seat at the café. "I'm glad you got my message. What did you want to talk about that's so important?"

"Is this how you greet people? Stand and announce your business to everyone else in ear shot?"

Shaking his head, Van sat back down as did his companion. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about, brother?"

Folken sat back and took a breath. "I came here to offer you a job."

"If you haven't noticed, I already have a job. I'm actually up for a big promotion."

"Hear me out, Van." After the raven haired man motioned for him to go on, Folken sat up a bit. "It's a company we recently took over. It's a good advertising company, but they lacked talent and a leader. I figured it's right up your alley."

"What's it called?'

"EscaFlowne. Very new. It would be a good job for you, Van. You wouldn't have to work as many hours as you do now. Merle tells me you didn't call her back yesterday?"

"I didn't get home until around midnight. Had a lot of back files."

Puzzled, Folken gave Van a confused look. "That doesn't sound like you."

"Yeah, well, it's been busy. In fact, I have to be back up there in about fifteen minutes."

"Only a half hour break? That doesn't sound right. I thought you had at least an hour."

"Like I said, we've been busy."

Folken gave his brother a skeptical look, but didn't push that matter any further. "You'll think about my offer? I don't know anyone more qualified than you."

"So, you'd be my boss then?"

"In a way."

With a small smile on his face, Van sighed. "Folken, I appreciate the offer, but I already have a great job. Life is good at the moment."

"Oh really? So is that why I received a phone call from Hitomi last night asking if I would check up on you?"

That caused Van to sit up a bit, his face void of any humor, but only concern. "Hitomi called you?"

"She sounded very concerned, said something about a fight and that she wanted to speak with you about it, but you never returned her calls." Folken knew his brother well enough to know if he was avoiding Hitomi, something big was going on. And by the guilty look on Van's face, he knew his little brother was in fact avoiding her. "I guess not everything is as good as you stated."

"I've been busy lately. That's all."

Narrowing his eyes a bit in thought, Folken nodded. "Please call her on her cell at around five. If not, I will come and drag you over to her. Don't think I won't either. Hitomi is the best thing in your life and I won't see her upset by you're avoidance of her because you're," Folken lifted his fingers and used air quotes, "busy."

Seeing that Van had nothing to say to that, Folken sighed and rose to his feet. "What you and Hitomi have is special. Don't throw it away over nothing. Please, think over my offer." After receiving a nod from Van, the elder brother turned towards the door. "Oh, and call mother when you get the chance. She wishes to speak with you."

"I will. See ya Folken."

"Bye Van." With that, the silver haired man walked out of the café, leaving Van to his thoughts.

--

It was around four o'clock when Van's desk phone began to ring. Looking away from the evil computer of doom, he debated for a moment whether or not to answer it. 'Well, there's a fifty percent chance it's Hitomi and a fifty percent chance it's Allen. If it's important, Allen can walk his sorry ass out here to talk to me.'

A minute went by and the phone began to ring again. Raising one eyebrow, Van looked at it, a bit confused. When the same thing happened once again, he had had enough. Sighing, he picked up the phone. "Van Fanel's desk."

"Finally! Van, I've been trying to reach you for awhile now."

"Sorry, Hitomi. Been pretty swamped. What's up?"

"I need your help."

Van sat up a bit. "What do you need?"

"How quickly can you get to the high school? It's an emergency."

"And what do you define as an emergency again?"

"Van! Please!"

"Alright. I'll come over as soon as I can."

"Please hurry."

"I will. Just calm down, alright? I'll see you soon. Ja."

"Ja ne."

After hanging up the phone, Van turned to his stack of files. 'Well, I only have two more. If I go to Allen, he'll just give me more work to do.'

"Something tells me you need to make a quick getaway." Van looked up and into the blue eyes of his second mother. She smiled down at him. "Go ahead. I can handle these."

"Are you sure, Maaya?"

"Hai. Go to her, Van. I figure you need to spend as much time together before the banquet."

Van rose to his feet and smiled as he grabbed his jacket and briefcase. "I'll see you later."

"Tell her hi for me."

With a nod of his head, Van went over to the elevator and eventually got into his car, heading for the high school.

--

The doors broke open as Van walked down the halls he knew so well. Taking a right, the maroon eyed man headed straight to the choir room where he knew she would be waiting. Opening the double doors, he waltzed right on in. "Alright, where's the fire?"

"Excuse me?"

It was then that Van looked around the room to see a tall woman with long curvy blond hair that went to the small in her back. Her violet eyes were gazing at him in confusion and slight annoyance. "Umm… sorry. Guess I have the wrong room. Is Ms. Kanzaki here?"

The blond walked over and looked him over closely. "Why would you want to know that? You some kind of stalker or something? A dumped boyfriend that still pines for her to the point where you declare no one else can have her, so you'll kill both her and yourself?"

Raising one eyebrow, Van gave her a confused look. "A little on the dramatic side there? I'm a friend of Ms. Kanzaki."

"And I should believe that… why?"

"Because it's the truth."

"How do I know it's true? You could be saying that on the off beat chance I'm a nice person and believe that. Well, forget it buddy."

"Are you always this paranoid or is it just today?"

"Let's just say I'm very protective of my friends. I mean, you could be a serial murderer and she just happens to be next on your list. I'd feel like crap if I let you through to her and she died."

"Do you read a lot? How else can you get these far out stories?"

"Hmm… you ask a lot of questions."

"To get answers, you ask questions."

"A logical guy, huh? All that aside, why should I tell you where she is?"

"Because I asked?"

"Not good enough. You a fan of hers, or are you just trying to attack her?"

"Millerna!" Both people turned towards the door to see a woman with emerald eyes looking at them. Her dark gray dress fell to right above her knees, legs bare as her feet were covered with matching heels. The sleeves went all the way down to her wrists as the front was dipped in a v-neck fashion. Long sandy brunette hair was parted into a twisted half up, half down look. Make up was the same as before as her eyes sparkled with mischief and amusement. On her pointer finger was that Celtic ring he had given her so long ago. 'I don't think I've ever seen her without it on her finger after that day.'

Shaking her head, Hitomi walked into the room, causing Van to raise an eyebrow. 'Since when does she swing her hips as she walks?'

"Try not to scare off my best friend, Millerna, okay?" Hitomi smiled at the blond as she turned to him. "Van Fanel, may I introduce you to my good friend Millerna Aston. Millerna, my best friend Van."

"Wait, so you were Hitomi's roommate in college?"

The blond smiled at him. "Guilty as charged. Sorry for that… interrogation. You can never be too careful nowadays. It's nice to finally meet the guy Hitomi talks so much about. I can see why."

A small blush formed on Hitomi face as she lowered her head. "Enough of that. I'm just glad you two could help me out on such short notice."

"Excuse me, but I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing, 'Tomi."

"Yeah, about that. How much do you love me, Van?"

"Oh boy. What is it? You only say that when it's something big."

"Oh, it's nothing _too_ big, just something that would help us all out a lot and keep me happy."

"I'm not agreeing to anything before I know what it is."

"Nothing really. How's that singing voice of yours?"

Raising an eyebrow at her, Van tried to back away, but was stopped by Millerna, who smiled down at him. "Why am I suddenly afraid?"

"It's just a little song. You can learn it quick, like you used to back in high school."

"I only did choir for one semester because you talked me into it."

Suddenly, Hitomi's bottom lip began to quiver as her eyes became big and teary. "Please, Van?"

The said man tried to turn away. "Not the puppy dog face!" A quick sniff and a little whimper from Hitomi was enough to defeat the stubborn man. "Alright! Damn it all that I _still_ can't say no to that face!"

"It's a gift."

"And my curse."

"Hey, don't be stealing my lines now."

"What?"

"I said that to you last week."

"You think I can remember what I did twenty minutes ago as opposed to last week?"

"Good point. Now come on!" Hitomi yanked his arm and dragged him into one of the practice rooms, leaving Millerna to watch them with wide eyes which turned into a smile.

--

The lights came up as a woman with vibrate red hair came onto the stage. "Thank you everyone. I hope you are enjoying our Salute to Broadway. It's simply amazing to see such talent hidden in our faculty. And a great warm thank you to Ms. Millerna Aston who came all the way from Broadway to perform tonight! I haven't heard 'If I Loved You' from the show 'Carousel' sung quite like that. Now, we're shifting the focus slightly to a production more recent than the other more tradition shows. The show is called 'Wicked' and the teacher heading this musical area is our choir director, Ms. Hitomi Kanzaki."

Applause was heard throughout the auditorium as the red head walked off and Hitomi walked on. She grabbed the microphone from the stand and smiled. "How's everyone doing tonight?" A small wave of shouts and applause was her answer, along with a 'we love you, Ms Kanzaki!'

Hitomi chuckled. "Well, I can tell some of my students are here tonight. Don't know why though. They should know they won't receive any extra credit for coming." The audience laughed slightly while she continued. "Now, it says in the program I'm supposed to be singing this song with Mrs. Yoshimatsu, but due to an illness sweeping the school, I apparently am flying solo." Looking up at the sound booth, she nodded her head and smiled. "I hope you enjoy this song. I'd actually like to dedicate it to my best friend in the entire world. He, and probably all my students, know who he is." Van looked up and over at her from backstage, startled a bit by her dedication.

Hitomi smiled again as the music began. She soon opened her mouth and sang her song, capturing everyone's attention.

"I'm limited  
Just look at me - I'm limited  
And just look at you -  
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda  
So now it's up to you  
(spoken) For both of us  
Now it's up to you"

Hitomi stood there and waited until her part came back in, eyes downcast. When she looked back up, there was a spark in her eyes as she began again. 

"I've heard it said   
That people come into our lives for a reason  
Bringing something we must learn  
And we are led  
To those who help us most to grow   
If we let them  
And we help them in return  
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true  
But I know I'm who I am today  
Because I knew you

"Like a comet pulled from orbit  
As it passes a sun  
Like a stream that meets a boulder  
Halfway through the wood  
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
But because I knew you  
I have been changed for good"

Hitomi took a few steps forward, completely lost in the music. To everyone, it seemed as if the person she was singing to was right there in front of her. Van watched her backstage while standing next to Millerna, only focusing on the emerald eyed woman singing the song she dedicated to him. Millerna smiled as she was captivated by her friend's singing voice.

"It well may be  
That we will never meet again  
In this lifetime  
So let me say before we part  
So much of me  
Is made of what I learned from you  
You'll be with me  
Like a handprint on my heart  
And now whatever way our stories end  
I know you have re-written mine  
By being my friend

"Like a ship blown from its mooring  
By a wind off the sea  
Like a seed dropped by a skybird  
In a distant wood  
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
But because I knew you"

A higher pitch of her voice broke through the sound system, telling them she had pre-recorded part of it due to her partner's absence.

"Because I knew you"

Hitomi then sang her part as the pre-recorded voice sang along.

"I have been changed for good"

"And just to clear the air  
I ask forgiveness  
For the things I've done you blame me for

"But then, I guess we know  
There's blame to share"

The pre-recorded voice came back in and stayed until the end of the song.

"And none of it seems to matter anymore

{pre-recorded voice}

"Like a comet pulled {Like a ship blown}  
From orbit as it {Off it's mooring}  
Passes a sun, like {By a wind off the}  
A stream that meets {Sea, like a seed}  
A boulder, half-way {Dropped by a}  
Through the wood {Bird in the wood}  
  
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
I do believe I have been changed for the better?  
  
And because I knew you  
Because I knew you  
Because I knew you  
I have been changed for good."

Hitomi looked down as she lowered the microphone. After a small moment, the auditorium broke out into applause, whistles and shouts. The choir director smiled and bowed to the crowd. "Thank you very much. As Principal Nagano said, the songs we perform in this section are from the Broadway show 'Wicked.' I got a brief synopsis off the official website which stated that long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years. Now, the song I just sang, 'For Good', was sung between Glinda and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. This next song is called 'I'm Not That Girl', which is also sung by Elphaba."

Van continued to stare at her as she spoke. 'She really thinks I changed her life? I know she's definitely changed mine.' He shut off his train of thinking as she began to sing. Her eyes held that far off look, as if she was reliving the moment. Her hands moved to the words as well. It was as if she really was feeling this song deep into her soul.

"Hands touch, eyes meet  
Sudden silence, sudden heat  
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl  
He could be that boy  
But I'm not that girl."

"Don't dream too far  
Don't lose sight of who you are  
Don't remember that rush of joy  
He could be that boy  
I'm not that girl

"Ev'ry so often we long to steal  
To the land of what-might-have-been  
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel  
When reality sets back in

"Blithe smile, lithe limb  
She who's winsome, she wins him  
Gold hair with a gentle curl  
That's the girl he chose  
And Heaven knows  
I'm not that girl

Van noticed Hitomi bit her bottom lip as tears came to her eyes, making him want to rush to her and dry her eyes.

"Don't wish, don't start  
Wishing only wounds the heart  
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl  
There's a girl I know  
He loves her so  
I'm not that girl"

While the applause was going on, it took the woman on stage a moment to collect herself, wipe away the tears that did fall, and bow in appreciation. "Thank you very much. This next song it called 'As Long As You're Mine' and I'm going to need the assistance of my best friend, Mr. Van Fanel, who thankfully volunteered to fill in for Mr. Matsumoto. Let's welcome Mr. Van Fanel please."

With that, she turned and clapped, giving him his signal to come onstage. Van smiled and walked over to her while holding another microphone in his hand. When he came up beside her, he gave her a hug and wiped another tear from her eye before facing the crowd. "The real applause should go to this wonderful woman who has kept music alive in your children's hearts. Through her dedication and love of music, she has given each student a special gift. This night might not be possible if it wasn't for her. Ms. Hitomi Kanzaki."

While the applause was going on, the music began to play, causing Van and Hitomi to face each other and act out the song. Hitomi was the one to come in first.

"Kiss me too fiercely  
Hold me too tight  
I need help believing  
You're with me tonight  
My wildest dreamings  
Could not foresee  
Lying beside you  
With you wanting me

"Just for this moment  
As long as you're mine  
I've lost all resistance  
And crossed some borderline  
And if it turns out  
It's over too fast  
I'll make ev'ry last moment last  
As long as you're mine

Van then came in with his baritone voice as she faded out.

"Maybe I'm brainless

Maybe I'm wise

You've got me seeing

Through different eyes  
Somehow I've fallen  
Under your spell  
And somehow I'm feeling  
It's 'up' that I fell"

Hitomi rejoined him as their voices blended perfectly. 

"Every moment  
As long as you're mine  
I'll wake up my body  
And make up for lost time"  
  
Hitomi dropped out once again as Van sang his two lines solo.

"Say there's no future  
For us as a pair"  
  
The emerald eyed woman came back in to finish out the song in a duet.

"And though I may know  
I don't care!  
Just for this moment  
As long as you're mine  
Come be how you want to  
And see how bright we shine  
Borrow the moonlight  
Until it is through  
And know I'll be here holding you  
As long as you're mine

Van paused for a moment and looked at her with a questioning glace while she looked away with a small smile on her face. "What is it?"  
The woman looked at him fully, delivering her last line before the completion to their song. "It's just… for the first time… I feel… wicked."

Everyone was up on their feet as the couple smiled and bowed. Even Millerna was highly impressed. When they walked off stage, she came up to the two and smiled widely. "That was amazing! And you said you had no talent, Hitomi. Shame on you! You should be on Broadway with that voice and your way of showing such emotion! You'd put a lot of us girls out of business."

Hitomi laughed. "Thanks, but I wouldn't go that far. This is just for a fundraiser. Oh, and Van," she turned to her best friend, who was waiting to hear what she had to say. "Thank you again for doing this. I know you hate to sing in front of a lot of people. It means a lot to me."

Her reply was a smile. "You know I'd do anything for you, Hitomi."

Her smile seemed to light up the room and before he knew it, she had her arms around him in a tight hug, which he returned. "I'm sorry for yesterday morning, 'Tomi. It won't happen again," he whispered into her ear.

"I know." Before releasing him, Hitomi gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, causing him to not only be startled, but to blush as well. The only one to notice this, however, was a certain blond, who only smiled. "Well, now that that's over, I say we all go out to eat, my treat."

"You sure about that? I know for a fact Van here has a big appetite."

With a wave of her hand, Millerna dismissed Hitomi's comment. "So does my fiancée. It's no big deal. Just name the place."

It was Van to speak up this time, after regaining the correct color on his cheeks. "Diner?"

"A diner?" The tall violet eyed woman thought this over. "I've never been to one. Why not? Just lead the way."

Hitomi gave her a surprised look. "You've never been to a diner?"

"It'll be a learning experience."

Van shook his head and smiled as he walked the girls to the parking lot. "You need a ride, Hitomi?"

"Sure. Van will lead the way, okay?"

Millerna nodded and climbed into her car, waiting for the couple to go ahead. 'Seems like Van has more interest in Hitomi than just best friends. Wonder why he won't move it forward.' With a shrug, she saw their car moving and followed closely.

In the other car, Van was in deep thought. Well, he was until Hitomi started poking him. "What is with the poking? Didn't your mother ever tell you not to mess with the driver while he's driving?"

"Yes, but if you're in deep thought, your driving gets crappy."

"Excuse me?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"I have a feeling I know Millerna from somewhere."

"Besides the fact she was my college roommate?"

"Yeah, besides that. What does she do?"

"Wow, Fanel. You really didn't pay much attention at the fundraiser. She's an actress on Broadway. She had a minor in business though, to satisfy her father's wishes."

"Why do I know that name though?"

"Hey Sparky, you're gonna miss the turn!"

Van snapped to attention and turned into the diner parking lot. "Sorry."

The girl next to him shook her head. "What did I tell you about deep thinking and driving?"

"Yes mommy."

After she stuck her tongue out at him, Hitomi got out of the car and waited for Millerna. When they all got together, they went inside the diner and had a nice dinner, Hitomi and Van sitting side by side. They laughed, joked around, and had serious conversations until around one in the morning. "Damn it! I promised I'd be home by now."

Hitomi looked at her friend. "Your fiancée going to be mad at you?"

"Well, it's nothing I can't make up for."

Van covered his ears. "I don't want to know. Virgin ears here."

Millerna laughed as Hitomi hit him in the stomach. "You two are so cute." Receiving the blushing effect she wanted, she picked up the check and walked over to the cashier to pay.

While she was paying, Van looked over at the girl beside him. "I really am sorry for the other day. I didn't mean to snap at you. I've just been under a lot of pressure at work."

"I know, Van. It's okay."

Shaking his head, he pressed on. "No it's not. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

A hand over his caused him to stop and look at her. "It's okay. I understand."

With a small smile on his face, he nodded. "Thanks, Tomi."

"Okay you two. I got to get going. It was nice meeting you, Van."

"Nice to meet you too, Millerna."

Hitomi got up, removed her hand from Van's and hugged her friend. "Come by to visit before you leave, okay?"

"Of course! You're not going to get rid of me that easily." With a wink and a wave, Millerna left the diner.

Van got to his feet and looked Hitomi over. "You ready?"

She turned to face him and smiled. "Sure. I have to get some sleep for this banquet thing."

That statement caused a pain in Van's chest. He had forgotten all about the banquet. "Oh, right."

Hitomi reached over and grabbed her jacket, which caused Van's eye brow to rise. "A denim jacket with that dress?"

"I don't even want to hear it, Fanel."

Chuckling, Van grabbed his own jacket and led her to his car. After closing her door for her, he walked to the driver's side and climbed in, starting up the car and driving out of the parking lot. As he was driving, Van looked over at her. "So, we're good now?"

"If you keep bringing it up, I'll smack you so hard, Fanel, you'll still feel it twenty years from now."

"Violent, aren't we?"

"Always have been, always will be."

"Glad to know not all things change."

"I'd comment on that, but I'll be good."

Van refrained himself from replying to that, already knowing what she was implying. 'I really have changed her, haven't I?'

Her apartment building came all too soon, causing Van to pull up front. "You sure you don't want me to hang around?"

"I'm a big girl now, Sparky. I can walk all the way to the door without any help." She smiled at him before opening the door. Before closing it, she stuck her head back in. "Thanks again for helping out like that."

"Like I said, anything for you. Just don't make me do that again, Kanzaki."

"Mentally noted. See you at the banquet."

"Good night."

"Night." Closing the door, Hitomi walked away towards her apartment building, causing Van to look at her confused. 'I wasn't imagining it. She's swinging her hips now. But why?'

Shaking his head to clear it, Van drove off to his own apartment. 'I wonder who I can call for a last minute favor. I totally forgot to get a date myself!' Mentally checking off all the females he knew, Van sighed. 'I'll call her in the morning. Hopefully she'll help out.' With that, he continued his way back home.

-----------------------------------------

-Don't kill me!!! I'm sorry for the long wait! This chapter was actually very hard to write. I had forgotten I had two days in between to cover! Hopefully it's okay. Now send in those reviews and (hopefully) soon I'll have the next chapter out: THE BANQUET!!!!

Also, sorry for the stupid -- things. FF.net won't let me put my usual breaks anymore. Anyone know why? Leave a review! Ja ne!-


	9. The Night That Comes To An End

-Finally, the time has come. The chapter everyone was anticipating. What do I have in store for our "heroes" during the banquet? Read and see… THE BANQUET CHAPTER!!!!-  
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**_Chapter Eight: The Night That Comes To An End_**

Van sat in the car outside the apartment building, taking a deep breath before getting out and finding the correct number to ring. Sighing, he pushed the button labeled 1613 and wait for her voice to come through the intercom.

There was a crackling noise before the familiar voice called out. "Yes?"

"It's me."

"Oh, hey Van. I'm not quite ready, but come on up." The intercom shut off as a buzzing was heard, giving him permission to enter the building. Sighing again, Van swung open the door and headed over to the elevator. The man behind the lobby desk, obviously the landlord, smiled at him as Van entered the vertically moving box. Pushing the correct floor number, the magical box slowly moved up while Van leaned against the wall. His thoughts continued to run around in his head of the upcoming night. 'After this, it's all over. We can go back to the way things were.'

The doors opened at that point, allowing him passage to the long hallway he had not seen in a long time. Walking down a few doors, he stopped and knocked on the one he desired.

"It's open!"

Pushing the door open, Van entered a lilac colored room with an off-white colored sofa in the living room area. "Just have a seat on the couch. I'll be right out."

"Sure thing." Doing as the voice requested, he sat on the surprisingly comfortable couch. 'I have a feeling if I sit here too long, I'll fall asleep!' Looking around the room, Van saw different pictures framed. Curious, he walked over to a get a better look. One had a man with almost brown hair and glasses in a green robe with an older man with black hair and glasses standing next to him while two women stood on the opposite side of him.

"That was my brother's high school graduation photo. I looked a bit different back then, don't you think?"

Van turned around to be greeted by a smile. The female walked over to a different frame and held it up to him. It was a picture from the night he had graduated from college, all of his friends around him. "This is my favorite one. It's that night we all went to that night club to celebrate graduation. I think it's a nice group shot with the whole gang. Hitomi looked just so happy that night too, so proud of you."

Smiling at the memories, he nodded. "I think I have that photo somewhere in my apartment. Those were good times."

"Yes they were. But enough with this trip down memory lane. We're going to be late for your banquet thingy."

Laughing, Van smiled. "Yes we are. I can't thank you enough for doing this on such short notice."

With a wave of her hand, she shook her head. "No biggie. Just know you owe me a huge favor, Van."

"I'll put it on my bill." Extending his arm, Van smiled. "Ready to go, Ms. Danielle?"

The blond smiled back as she took his arm. "Of course, Mr. Van. Right after you tell me you think I look nice."

Taking a look at her, Van nodded in satisfaction. Her ¾ sleeve dark violet dress went down to her ankles in a small bell-like shape, showing off her curves. Her hair was slightly curled as it fell over her shoulders. The make-up was light, consisting of mascara and lip gloss. She looked classy, yet real.

Van smiled. "I'll do you one better. You look beautiful. And I am grateful you wore heels instead of going barefoot."

"You know how I like going barefoot. I figured your shoes would step on mine a few times, so I might as well have weapons of my own to dig into you."

Blinking, he looked at her, but was not at the same time. 'That sounds like something Hitomi would say.'

"Earth to Van! Snap out of it!"

At this, Van shook his head back and forth. "Sorry. Must have dazed off. I have a lot on my mind."

"Like a certain someone?" When Van gave her a weird look, Danielle only sighed. "Come on. We're going to be late. Let me just grab my coat." While she did that, Van continued to look around the room, taking a quick look at all the other photos. 'Almost every single on of them have Hitomi and me side by side, smiling widely.'

Hearing the door open, he left the site of the happy photos to walk out of the apartment and face the night that was to come.

_-Flashback-_

_A weird ring sounded through his room as Van rolled over to look at the cell phone sitting on his night stand. Grumbling when he saw the time, he picked up the damn loud thing and flipped it open. In a groggy voice, he answered, "Hello?"_

_"Oh good.__ You're up."_

_Groaning, he fell back into his pillow. "Hitomi, do you know what time it is?"_

_"I have a slight idea, but not too sure."_

_"It's __1:30__ in the morning. Sane people are sleeping at this point."_

_"Oh, whoever said we were sane?"_

_"This is true. What do you want before I hang up on you and get some more sleep?"_

_"Can you meet me?"_

_Raising one eyebrow, Van sat up a bit. "Now??"_

_"Please?"_

_Sighing deeply, he shook his head. "Where?"_

_He knew that made her happy. "That big hill by __Balgas__Park__."___

_"I'm going to guess you mean right this second, right?"_

_"That would be the idea. So, unless you sleep naked, which I really don't want a mental image of, come as is. No need to change."_

_"This better be important, 'Tomi."_

_"You'd come even if it wasn't."_

_"This is also true. Now hang up so I can start heading out."_

_"Ja ne."___

_"Ja."__ After ending the call, Van sighed as he looked in the mirror. 'I can just hear the cracked whip in the background.' Shaking his head, the raven haired male threw back the covers and got out of his nice warm bed to find some kind of shoes. The only pair he could find at the moment were his sandals. Opening his window, he threw his shoes out of it as he began to climb down the tree. Once hitting the ground, Van put the shoes on and started his walk to the park in his tank top and plaid pajama pants. _

_Grumbling the whole fifteen minutes it took to get to the park, Van looked up to see Hitomi standing there with her tank top and plaid pajama shorts. "At least I'm in good company." _

_She looked up from her spot on the bench and smiled. "It's about time you got here. What took you so long?"_

_"Hey, not all of us practice with the track team. Now, what was so important that you dragged me out of my very comfortable bed?"_

_Taking his hand, Hitomi dragged him up the hill. When they reached the top, she sat on the grass, stretching out so that she was comfortable. Waiting until he did the same, she took a deep breath. "Think about it, Van. We just graduated high school two weeks ago."_

_"You woke me up at __1:30__ in the morning for this?"_

_"Work with me here, Sparky. All the friends we've made while here are going off in separate directions. Who's to say if we'll ever be able to see them again?"_

_"Well, there are those silly little things called High School Reunions."_

_"Not what I meant. Aren't you going to miss all the people you met here?"_

_Taking a brief moment, Van shook his head. "No."_

_Looking over at him, Hitomi raised one eyebrow in confusion. "No?"_

_"I'm not going to miss all the people I've met."_

_"But what about-"_

_"I'm not finished. What I mean is there are only a few people that I'll miss occasionally, like the people I used to eat lunch with. Some more often then that, like my family and yours. But there's only one person I'll miss all the time… you."_

_There was a small moment of silence before Van felt Hitomi's head on his right arm. Looking over, he saw her emerald eyes bearing into him, something different in them. "I'm really gonna miss you, Van. What am I going to do without you?"_

_"Study to become a fabulous music teacher."___

_"I'm not so sure."_

_Sighing, Van turned so he was facing her, her head still on his arm while he wrapped the other around her waist. "Hitomi, you can do anything you set your mind to. I have faith in you. Now try and have faith in yourself."_

_Nodding slightly, Hitomi crawled a little closer to her best friend. "Alright." Both shifted so that they could look up at the stars above. A soft sigh escaped her mouth, earning Van's attention. "Something to add to this fabulous conversation?"_

_"Just a question I've been pondering."_

_"Oh? Maybe I could help."_

_"I doubt it. Has to do with one of my internet buddies."_

_"See, that's confusing. How can you have such trouble talking to real people when you can talk to strangers on the internet for hours on end?"_

_"It's a gift."_

_"Yeah… that's it. Tell me what the question is."_

_"Oh alright, Mr. Nosey.__ She has this guy friend she's been very close to for a long time now. They do almost everything together, telling each other their deepest darkest secrets. Well, a while ago, she started developing other feelings for him."_

_"Other feelings?"___

_"She thinks she fell in love with him."_

_"Okay. What's the problem then?"_

_"She's afraid if she tells him, their friendship could be ruined. Plus, she doesn't know how he feels about her."_

_"So the question is whether to tell the guy or not?"_

_"Correct."_

_Thinking for a moment, Van sighed. "Well, there's a lot to consider here. There's the long history of friendship, which I assume is very dear to her. If she says anything and he doesn't feel that way back, everything changes in the relationship, whether they mean to or not. It'll be in the back of his mind all the time. He'd probably change his ways around her for fear of giving her the wrong idea. Thus friendship is ruined. But on the other side of it, he just might feel something for her, but is afraid to show it. If she told, he'd probably confess as well, the birth of a wonderful relationship."_

_"Nice long winded speech, but what do you think I should tell her?"_

_"Well, I'd wait until I was sure of the friend's feelings. If it's obvious he sees her as nothing more than a friend, she can start looking elsewhere, saving face in the process. If she definitely thinks he likes her back, then she should tell him."_

_"So say nothing until it's clear of his feelings?"_

_"Correct."_

_"Oh. I guess that works." A brief moment passed when Hitomi pointed up to the sky. "Look, a shooting star! Make a wish."_

_As she closed her eyes and concentrated hard, Van smiled and did the same. 'I wish we both fulfill our destinies with love and good fortune in our lives.' _

_Opening his eyes, he looked down at her once again to see she was still looking at the sky full of stars. Smiling, he rested his head back and closed his eyes, living in the moment. It wasn't until the sun rose that he realized he had fallen asleep with Hitomi in his arms. Not really wanting to, Van gently shook her back and forth. As she opened her emerald eyes to the world, he smiled. "We better get back quickly. They'll wonder where we ran off to."_

_Nodding her head, Hitomi and Van got up and headed back to their homes, him walking with her all the way home. When they parted at the bottom of her steps, he smiled and headed home, back to his not as comfortable bed, burying himself deep into the covers. 'I wish you nothing but the best, complete happiness, Hitomi. That's the very least you deserve.'_

_-End Flashback-_

"Van?"

Shaking his head, he turned his head slightly to her. "Sorry, must have dazed off."

Smiling, Danielle sighed. "Well can you wait until we're not in the car to daze? I don't want to die just yet."

"Oh alright. Ruin all my fun, why don't you." Van turned into the front of the very large and grand building, a valet coming over to get the keys. Getting out of his car, he walked around and opened Danielle's door as well. After he tossed the keys to the valet, he held out his arm for her, which she took, heading into the building, and to their fates.

The hall was huge, pillars along the sides holding up a massive ceiling that held ancient paintings of winged people flying around with dragons in the sky. Everyone who entered was immediately overwhelmed by the grandness displayed throughout the room that seemed to go on forever. The white pillars blended nicely with the golden walls, giving the room a peaceful glow.

As Van walked in with Danielle on his arm, his eyes didn't go to the ceiling, but went searching through the crowd to find that one special person. Disappointed that he couldn't find her right away, he tried to hide it by leading his friend into the banquet.

"Van, this place is beautiful. I didn't know so many people worked at your company."

"Well, there are a lot of branches and different departments. I know quite a few people in the production area. They take my department's ideas and make them commercials."

Nodding her head, obviously impressed, the blond looked around at all the strange faces. Smiling, Van recognized one head and led the girl in that direction. "So you're not completely lost, I'll introduce you to one of the friends I made here." When he was close enough, Van reached over and tapped one of the men's shoulders. "Gades. Nice to see you here."

A man with dark raven hair and kind brown eyes turned to the maroon eyed man. "Hey Van. I see the boss finally let you have some time off." His eyes left his friend and landed on the female next to him. "And who is this lovely creature?"

While a slight blush graced her face, Van smiled. "This is my good friend who helped me out tonight. Danielle, this is my friend Gaddes. We've been working together since I started here."

The man took a step forward. "It's an honor to meet you."

A small smile spread on her lips as she replied, "The pleasure is mine, sir."

"Please, just call me Gaddes."

"Alright."

Seeing the obvious connection right away, Van held back a chuckle. "Hey Gaddes. Have you seen Allen nearby?"

Thinking for a moment, the man replied, "Last I saw him he was talking to some guy from Rand. I think over on the other end of the hall."

Nodding, Van smirked. "Mind watching her until I return?"

Before Danielle could shoot him a sarcastic comment, Gaddes intervened. "It would be my pleasure to stay in your good company, Ms. Danielle."

While she blushed, Van thanked him and dove right on into the crowd, leaving his friend in good hands. 'Gaddes is a good guy, living the life of honor and chivalry. At least I know she's in good hands.'

"Van?"

Turning in the direction he had heard his name, the said man smiled at the woman. "Nice to see you, Maaya. Elegant as always."

Walking up to him in a tradition black evening gown, Maaya smiled at him. "Thank you, but flattery is not going to get you out of what I have to talk to you about."

His smile fell slightly as he knew what she meant. "I think it best to wait still. But enough about that. How is your evening going thus far?"

"Nice, but this just reminds me how big the company is. I don't know nor recognize over half these people."

"True, but I guess the main boss thinks we deserve a break or something."

"I heard he sent his daughter here instead of coming himself. I haven't seen her yet, but I hear she's quite beautiful and young, I think you and Hitomi's age."

"Speaking of Hitomi…"

Maaya smiled at that. "Last I saw her she was in the center of the room, with Mr. Schezar."

Van nodded. "Well I better go rescue her then. I'll catch up with you later tonight, okay?"

"It's not too late, Van. You still have a chance to make things right."

With a small smile of gratitude, Van set out through the crowd to find the one that had been plaguing his thoughts for days now. While waving hello to other coworkers and such, his mind still stayed on that one person. 'I still don't understand it. Why am I suddenly attracted to her? What are these feelings really trying to tell me? She has been my best friend for eleven years. Why now?'

"Van!'

Hearing his name brought him out of his walking coma. Turning his head to the side, Van was shocked to see who had called his name. "John? Robin? What are you guys doing here?"

The couple broke away from the large crowd and walked over to their friend. Robin wore a long dark red dress covered with black lace in delicate designs all over it. Like himself, John wore a tuxedo. The raven haired woman with glasses smiled at him while holding her husband's hand. "I didn't know you were going to be here, Van. You work for Astoria?"

"I have for about three years now."

"Oh. Why didn't I know that?"

"It's probably never came up. Anyway, what brings you here?"

John took his eyes away from the crowd and looked at his ex-roommate. "I've been working for Rand as a graphic designer. This marks my second year."

"I thought you were a psych major."

"Nope. I switch middle of freshman year. Guess you were too busy thinking of a certain female to notice. Oww!" Both males turned to the smaller female beside them, one in surprise and one in annoyance.

Robin glared at the man she came with. "That's not a nice thing to say."

"And that deserved you digging your heel into my foot?"

"Would you prefer I do any of my other usual quirks? I thought you wanted me to behave a bit." Leaning in so they're noses were almost touching, John quickly kissed her on the lips, earning a smile from his wife.

Smiling at his friends' happiness, Van looked away and into the crowd, still searching for the one he wanted to see more than anything tonight. Robin's voice brought him out of his search. "Pardon?"

"I said who did you bring with you tonight?"

"Danielle."

John's head snapped up. "The same Danielle from college?"

Raising an eyebrow at him, Van nodded. "Yeah…"

A wide and evil smirk grew on his face. "I think it's time we had a chat."

Van rolled his eyes. "I would think you have feeling back in that spot on your head she beat you so many times by now! Are you over your paranoia of cats yet?"

"Cat? Where's the Trigun cat? I'll beat it for sure this time!"

Robin sighed in frustration. "John, calm down. I promise there are no trigun… cats…"

At that moment, a black cat with yellowish green eyes walked by and in the direction of where Danielle was. "Meow."

Both Robin and Van just blinked as John pointed at it. "See! I knew she was controlling them! I just knew it!"

"You do realize that cat in my room was just a picture and that it never blinked, thus you having a staring contest with it all the time was just sad, right?" All three of them turned to face a smiling blond who held and was stroking the cat in her hands. Behind her stood Gaddes, who remained quiet for the moment.

"It's the Dani!" Robin smiled and hugged her friend, after she had placed the cat down. "Glad to see you again after a few days, but it's weird seeing you in a dress."

Danielle sighed. "I know! The things I do for friends who need favors at the last minute."

"Well, you look good, hunny."

At that, the blond smiled. "Good to hear you still have that southern accent after all this time." She then turned her attention to the other male. "You taking good care of her, or do I have to beat you again?"

"What are you gonna do? Send your stupid cat after me?"

Raising one eyebrow, Danielle looked at John with this 'are you kidding' look. "Did you not just see that cat walk by and into my arms? Don't call my cat stupid either!" With that, she smacked him upside the head. "Not a quick one, are you?"

While the two bickered a bit, Robin and Gaddes looked over to Van, who was just shaking his head. "Can you guys handle these two while I hunt for my best friend?"

Robin just waved her hand at him. "I'm only too used to this. Go ahead. We'll make sure they don't kill each other." Gaddes just nodded, watching in shock as the two crazy people went back and forth with verbal insults and heavy sarcasm.

Laughing, Van dove right back into the crowd, still in search of the woman he desired. He saw Maaya talking to a guy with long brown hair and small black glasses with gold rims, but just shrugged it off. 'Probably some guy in the company I haven't met.' Smiling at other and making his way through the vast number of people, Van came to the point he figured to be the center of the room. Swimming through the crowd was a tall man with blond hair, happily flirting with some red head. 'Stupid asshole. Hope he chokes on his Jell-O.'

"Van?"

At that moment, Van turned to look behind him and was rendered speechless. Standing there before him was a goddess, her sandy brown hair half pulled up in a twist, allowing only a small portion to fall to her shoulders. Her deep emerald dress hugged her body nicely, falling to her ankles with a delicate slit up to right above her right knee. The sleeves went to her wrist before flowing out to halfway between her finger nails and knuckles. Around her neck was the emerald necklace he had given her not long ago, going nicely with the curved neckline. On her left pointer finger was that familiar Celtic ring she never took off. Hitomi was positively breath taking.

Without saying a word, Hitomi smiled as she walked over to him and gently pushed up his chin with her soft hand. "I take it I look nice tonight?"

Shaking his head, Van looked into her endless emerald eyes. "No. No mere words could describe what I see. Beautiful doesn't even come close."

The woman blushed slightly, but smiled. "Thank you. Who did you con into coming with you on such short notice?"

"Danielle."

"Ah. You owe her big time. She hates these kinds of things almost as much as I do. How is she holding up here?"

"Well, I introduced her to Gaddas, which both of them seem pleased about."

"Interesting. Those two would be nice together. He'd be able to calm her temper."

"Speaking of temper, she ran into John and Robin."

Sighing, Hitomi shook her head. "Trigun cat?"

"As always."

"I worry about those three sometimes."

"They do have a very strange friendship, but it's a strong one."

"Kind of like ours, in a way."

Smiling, he nodded. "In a way."

Both were silent for a moment, but it wasn't a comfortable one like they had had before. Van kept on shifting from one foot to another and adjusting his collar. 'Why am I acting so nervous? Damn, even my throat's dried out.' Looking at Hitomi, he cleared his throat. "Would you like something to drink?"

Snapping her head up, allowing him to swim deep into her eyes, she blinked for a second. "Hmm? Oh, sure. You know what I like."

Nodding, Van looked towards the bar, then back at her. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting."

Smiling, he made his way through the crowd towards his destination, where there was not that long of a line. While waiting for his turn, Van sank into his thoughts once again. 'Why did I get so nervous around her all of a sudden? I've never acted that way around her before. Why now?'

"May I help you sir?"

Van looked up and into the face of an elder man with dark glasses on. "Yes, Mr…" He craned his neck to see the man's name tag. "Mr. Mole?"

"It's pronounced Molé."

"Right. May I have two cokes with no ice, please?"

"Coming right up." The old man worked rather quickly, producing the drinks in record time. "Here you are, sir."

"Thank you. How much?"

Waving his hand, Mole man smiled a toothy grin. "It's already paid for by the owner."

"Arigatou." With that, Van took his drinks and headed back to where he had left Hitomi. 'Did I just tell him thank you in Japanese? Wow, Hitomi really has been messing with my head lately, or has it been all along?'

"Van? Van, is that you?"

Turning to face the person who was calling his name, Van was shocked with what he saw. "Millerna? What are you doing here?"

The blond hair, violet eyed woman walked over in her long pink and white dress, smiling at him. "I was just about to ask you the same question."

Shrugging, he explained, "I work for Astoria."

"Really? I didn't know that. Oh! Before I forget, I'd like you to meet my fiancée. Dryden?" Turning around, she looked around a bit before waving at the man Maaya had been speaking to not long before. Smiling broadly, Millerna hooked her arm around his. "Dryden, this is Van Fanel, Hitomi's best friend."

The man smiled as he shook Van's hand. "Hitomi's friend? Well, any friend of Hitomi Kanzaki is a friend of mine. I thought I saw her not to long ago being walked out of the center of the room by that Allen guy."

A groan escaped Millerna's throat. "Please don't ever bring up his name again."

Raising one eyebrow, Van dared to ask, "Do you know him or something?"

"I used to date him. When we broke up, he went after my sister Eries. They went out for a while until we both found out he had gotten my eldest sister pregnant two months before she was to be married. Eries dumped him about two weeks ago. I don't know why Hitomi's with him tonight though. Someone should warn her about him."

That did not sit well with Van at all. Seeing the raven haired man growing upset, Dryden cleared his throat and changed the conversation. "So tell me, what brings you to such a boring party such as this?"

"He works for Astoria."

"Really? What department?"

Van shrugged. "I do the filing and help come up with new ideas."

"Oh?" Turning to his fiancée, Dryden addressed her directly. "Why didn't you tell me he worked in your father's company? It could have saved me a lot of trouble."

Blinking a few times, the raven haired male looked at the blond. "Your father?"

"That's right."

A little light bulb clicked in his head at that moment. "Millerna Aston… Grava Aston's daughter. Now I remember the name. I'm so sorry I didn't realize sooner."

With a wave of her hand, she dismissed his apology. "There's nothing to be sorry about. Momentary mind slip. Happens all the time. I just wished I knew about you sooner. I could have saved Dryden a lot of time looking through those proposals."

"Proposals?"

It was Dryden's turn to speak. "Maybe my full name will trigger your memory. Dryden Fassa."

Van's jaw dropped slightly. "You're the president of Rand!"

"Ah, my reputation precedes me. If I had known Hitomi's best friend worked in that department, I would have just hired you instead."

Confused, Van looked at him. "What do you mean? I thought they weren't going to hire anyone for the project until next week."

Raising one eyebrow, the taller man looked down at the maroon eyed man. "Allen presented this one guy for it in the beginning of the week. What was his name… Dilandau something."

Van's eyes went wide on that one. "So Allen already hired Dilandau for the job?"

"Yeah, but he didn't want to get started on it until after the banquet. Didn't say why though."

Millerna looked at her troubled friend with concern. "Are you alright, Van? You look a little pale."

Van's mind was running a mile a minute. 'He used me! He pretended I had a shot at the promotion just so he could go out with Hitomi and have me do all his files!'

"Van?!?"

Shaking his head, he finally focused on the two concerned people staring at him. "Sorry. Umm, I need to go find Hitomi. Would you both please excuse me?"

Millerna didn't give up. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to find Hitomi."

Straining her head around all the massive amounts of people, Millerna pointed in one direction. "She's over there. Allen's introducing her to someone. Knowing him, he'll do that then leave her to flirt with someone else."

Nodding his thanks, Van took off in the direction she was pointing, determined to track her down and get her out of here. 'I was such an idiot.' Resorting to pushing people out of the way, he soon reached Hitomi a few seconds after Allen had abandoned her. "Well, nice to see you listen to me, 'Tomi. I thought I told you to stay where you were."

She turned to him and smiled. "You know better than that. I hardly listen to you when you tell me something. Is that my drink?"

"Hai, but it might be warm by now."

"Oh please. You know I don't care. I just need the caffeine hit."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were slightly addicted to this."

"If you knew better, you'd know I'm not slightly, but totally addicted to caffeine."

Laughing, he handed her the drink while taking a sip of his own. At that moment, a man with silver hair and blood red eyes walked over to them. "Well well well. If it isn't poor little Vaaaaan. Finally decided to come out and play?"

Grinding his teeth, Van looked over Hitomi's shoulder and fake smiled. "Glad to see someone let you out of your cave, Dilly."

Hitomi's eyes grew wider as she began to turn around. Sighing, the raven haired man motioned to the silver haired man. "Dilandau, this is Hitomi Kanzaki."

Red eyes focused on the woman in front of him before he smirked. "Hitomi Kanzaki? It seems we've already met. Long time no see."

Van noticed her nervous look as part of her was shaking. She glared at him. "Looks like you've come a long way from Mystic Moon."

Confused, he looked between the two of them before Dilly turned to him. "We were old friends back then. Well, I better get back to Celena before she starts wondering where I am."

"You mean Celena Schezar? Allen's sister?"

Smirking, the blood eyed male nodded. "That's using your head, Vaaaan. I'll see you two later." As he walked away with an arrogant stride, Van clenched his fist at his side, glaring daggers at the man's back. 'So he went out with Allen's little sister to get the job! That little leech!' A shaky hand grabbed his arm, causing him to turn to his best friend. "Hitomi?"

The female was shaking uncontrollably as she looked him, fear in her eyes. "That's him."

"Him who?"

"That's the guy that tried to rape me back at Mystic Moon. Why didn't I realize it sooner?"

Van looked at her with wide and angry eyes. "Hitomi, calm down. Take a deep breath." He had taken hold of her arms to keep her steady, both glasses forgotten on a nearby table. Never had he seen Hitomi this afraid. "You mean Dilandau was the one to do all those things to you, including the locker and your house?" Unable to speak, she only nodded while he took her into his arms. He could still her shaking against his body. "Hey, it's alright. He can't hurt you anymore. I won't let him. It's okay."

Clearing his throat, Van and Hitomi looked over to the blond haired asshole, err man, who simply looked at them with eyes that clearly said 'what's going on here.' The two separated and gazed at him, one with hatred and one… well, with a different kind of hatred.

"Well, isn't this cozy. Fanel, I need to speak with you. Please, excuse us, my lady."

Rolling her eyes, Hitomi simply nodded as Van walked off with Allen towards the other side of the room. They still had a clear view of the female though, just in case. Allen was the first one to speak. "What was that, Fanel?"

"Last I checked, it was called a hug."

"No shit Sherlock! Listen, don't blow it tonight or it's your job. And if that won't convince you, I'm sure Mrs. Kanzaki's job will."

Van's eyes went wide on that one. "You'll fire Maaya if I don't do what you say? She has nothing to do with this!"

"Well, if you don't want to see her unemployed, you'll do as I say. Got it?"

With much reluctance, Van nodded. He couldn't do that to Maaya. She was his second mother. He'd do all he could to protect her as well. 'What other choice do I have?'

"Van!"

The said male turned to where the voice came from, recognizing it immediately. 'Hitomi…' Breaking away from Allen, he saw her being taken outside by an all too familiar silver haired male. 'Dilandau!' Blocking out Allen's voice, Van ran outside to see the emerald eyed girl being pinned up against the wall of the building. "Come on, sweetheart. I've waited long enough to have a piece of you." Hitomi was too afraid to think of something to do, not expecting this moment to ever happen again. She was more or less frozen in place, shocked that her past came back to haunt her.

"Dilandau! Get your hands off her!"

Both people looked over to see Van standing there, rage in his eyes. The man just smirked as he held the girl where she was. "And what are you gonna do about it, Vaaan? Run and tell Allen on me? Ha! Get lost!"

Angry beyond compare, especially when he heard her weakly tell him no, Van ran over and punched the bastard in the face, sending him sprawling on the ground. Holding his face in his hands, Dilandau looked up at him, clearly pissed off. Seeing the look in Van's eyes, however, caused fear to enter his own.

Van walked over to the man, picked him up by his collar and glared right in his face, a look that could kill if not held back. "Don't you ever come near her again or I swear to Kami I will kill you." His voice was dead serious, scaring the shit out of Dilandau. Never had he seen innocent little Van act like this, nor did he want to ever again.

Before he could answer, Van pulled back his fist and punched him across the face yet again, causing him to pass out as he hit the concrete. "That was for everything you've ever done to Hitomi."

As he was about to continue the beat down, a soft hand touched his shoulder, causing the raven haired man to look back into emerald eyes. "Van, don't. Be the bigger man. Besides, he's not worth it."

Eyes bearing into her, Van asked, "Are you sure?"

Knowing her answer decided whether the male would wake up with a headache or in the hospital, she nodded. "Let the past die. I don't want to know of it anymore."

Sighing, Van agreed, taking her into his arms as if to protect her. "I'm just sorry I didn't protect you against this."

"But you did. If you hadn't come… What a fine time to be too shocked to fight back, huh?"

Smiling into her hair, Van kissed the top of her head as he walked her back into the banquet, determined to tell Dryden all about the man they had hired. 'There's no way he can do those things to Hitomi and get away with it. I'll make him pay.'

Once they entered the hall again, Allen found them right away. "Hitomi, darling, where did you run off to?"

Sighing, she replied, "First, don't call me darling. Second, I went to get some air. Van was kind enough to come get me."

Glancing between the two of them, Allen shrugged. "Alright. Please inform me next time. I was worried about you."

Van held back a gag as Hitomi just fake smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Turning to the male by her side, the blond baboon, err man, nodded at him. "Van, may I speak to you in private? You raced off before I had a chance to finish what I had to say."

Looking at Hitomi for a moment, Van nodded. "Let me find a friend of mine first. I'd hate to leave Hitomi here all alone."

Before he let Allen reply, he took her hand and led her over to where he heard certain distinct voices. Smiling, he walked up to the small group. "Hey guys."

Danielle was the first one to turn. "Oh hey Van. Where'd you run off to?"

"Well, I had to find my best friend in this big mess. Mind keeping an eye on her while I have a talk with Allen?"

Shrugging, the group agreed, Gaddes introducing himself in the process. Hitomi turned before the raven haired man disappeared into the crowd again. "You won't leave me for long, will you?"

"No. I'll be right back. Promise."

Smiling, she nodded and turned to her friends as he walked through the crowd to find Allen. Seeing the blond walk into the men's room, he followed, opening the door soon after his boss had entered. "So, what else did you want to say?"

Allen turned to face Van with a smile. "I just wanted to say thank you for presenting me with a tamed Hitomi. Though I do enjoy her spirit, it would have been highly inappropriate for her to act out here. I'll make it up to her tonight, hopefully all night if I have anything to say about it, which I do."

Blinking rapidly, Van looked at him wide eyed. "You mean you plan on sleeping with her?!?"

"Exactly. The best way to break in a woman is to exhaust the spirit out of her. That's what I plan on doing. What a pleasure it will be. In fact, I think we should leave soon. It's getting late." Smiling that evil smirk, the taller man opened the door, calling over his shoulder to his employee, "See you on Monday, Fanel. Don't wait up for her." A small laugh escaped his lips right as he left the restroom.

Shock was still consumed Van as he absorbed exactly what Allen had said. 'No. I won't let him do that to her! I have to get to her first. There's no time to lose.' With that, he bolted out of the bathroom, looking all over for the small group he had left her with. When he spotted them, he ran right up to the sandy brunette. "Hitomi, I need to talk to you."

At that moment, Allen walked up to them all. "It'll have to wait, Fanel. We were just about to leave."

Raising one eyebrow at them, Hitomi questioned this. "We were?"

Panicked, Van grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him completely. "Hitomi, listen to me. Do not go anywhere with him."

Allen glared at his employee. "Fanel, remember what's important."

Narrowing his eyes, Van shook his head, letting go of Hitomi in the process. He glared at Allen head on. "I don't care anymore! Nothing is worth all this!" Turning his attention back to her, Van had this pleading look in his eyes. "Hitomi, please listen to me. Don't go with him."

A weird look entered her emerald eyes that sent a chill down his spine. Her voice was ice cold. "What did you mean when you said 'nothing is worth all this'?"

It dawned on him just exactly what he had done. "Hi-Hitomi, maybe we should talk in private."

"No! Tell me right now." The demanding look she gave scared him, much more than any other glare. He knew there was no way to get out of it.

Van sighed, trying to pretend the others weren't watching as well. "The truth is there's this big job offer up and Allen's in charge of who get it…"

"Fanel…" Allen sent him a warning look, but he ignored it.

"So, my work was getting better, but in order to ensure I'd get it, I… I…" Van took a deep breath, refusing to look her in the eyes. "I promised Allen you would go out with him as well as go to the banquet. He was basically fascinated by you and strongly hinted the job wouldn't go to me if you refused him. I panicked, so-"

A really loud smack was heard, causing everyone around them to look over. The pain and redness on Van's face did not make up for his guilt, which tripled when he saw her face. The hurt and betrayed look in her eyes shattered his heart. She hated him. He didn't blame her. He hated himself for stooping that low.

Her eyes began to get watery as she turned to leave. "Hitomi! Wait! Let me explain-"

The girl whirled around and glared at him. "Explain? What is there to explain? You wanted a better job, a big score, so you lied to me and used me for your own benefits! You pimped me out for a job!"

"That's not it! Please, just listen to me."

"No! I've had enough! I trusted you for years, Van Fanel. I have never felt more betrayed in my life! I never, ever want to see you again." With that, Hitomi ran for the door, not taking the time to look back at him.

Van ran after her. "Wait! Hitomi!" He reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. Next thing he knew, he was sprawled out on the floor with immense pain on his cheek and chin. Hitomi had punched him!

Shocked, Van watched her run out of the banquet hall, seeing a few tears slide down her face. 'What have I done?'

"What have you done, Fanel?!?"

Van looked up to see an angry Allen standing over him. He stood up and faced the blond haired asshole. All of his anger swelled up inside him. "I finally told her the truth, something I should have done from the beginning. No, I shouldn't have done this at all."

"I don't think you understand exactly what you have done, Fanel."

"No, I know exactly what I did. I also know what I need to do now. Allen, I quit."

A shocked look entered the taller man's eyes. "Don't do something stupid."

"I already did when I sold my best friend for a job."

"Think this over, Fanel. I'm sure we can straighten this out." Allen placed a hand on his shoulder.

Van glared at him and before anyone could say anything, he punched Allen right in the jaw, sending him back a few feet. "That was for what you wanted to do to Hitomi. And as I said before, I quit!" With that, Van ran off after Hitomi, praying to Kami she would listen to him.

Forgetting about his coat, Van threw open the doors, letting the cold air smack him in the face. Quickly looking from side to side, he found the woman he was searching for. "Hitomi! Wait! Please listen to me!" Van ran after her as a cab rolled by, ignoring her calls. "Damn taxi cab. Never around when you need them."

Van walked up to her. "Hitomi, please let me explain. It was just some big mistake."

"Oh really?" Turning around, Hitomi glared at him, tears streaming down her face, breaking his heart. "Then am I to assume that you didn't have me date your boss so you could land a major account? Damn you, Van Fanel. How could you? How could you do that to me? Not only did you change everything about me, but you betrayed and lied to me!"

"It's not like that. Besides, I thought you liked this new change. You did say-"

"I didn't change for him! I changed for you! Everything I've ever done since you put this ring on my finger has been because or for you! I never wanted to do this, but because you asked me to, I did. How could you not see that?" Taking a step back as a cab finally stopped for her, Hitomi looked at him with great sadness and hurt in her eyes. "Did you even see me at all?"

Van was too shocked to answer. His mind was going a mile a minute trying to process what she had said.

Hitomi took his silence hard, turning her gaze to the ground. Slowly, she slipped the Celtic ring she had cherished off her finger and threw it at his feet. "Good bye, Mr. Fanel." With that, she climbed into the cab and rode away, leaving Van to stand there, still in shock, to watch the most important person in his life leave him forever. It was at that moment the snow started to fall.  
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-Not exactly what you were expected, was it? Chapter Nine is already typed out. Depending on reviews, I'll either post it in two weeks or next week. I'll be gone from May 24th to June 1st ona choir tour.

Again, sorry for the stupid -- things. I want my old symbols back!!!! Also, special dedication to **kitn** for giving me the idea of using Dilandau as the guy who tried to rape HItomi. I actually never thought of that, but it worked so well. Arigatou!!! Ja ne!-


	10. My December

-OMG!!!! You guys are soooo wonderful! 155 reviews?!? Love you all!!!! I had a feeling you all would hate me for that last chapter. I can't wait for the reaction I get after this one. Please don't kill me… There are a lot of flashbacks, so there will be no warnings, just the _italics_.-  
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**_Chapter Nine: My December_**

Snow started to fall from the sky as Van walked. He didn't even know exactly where he was going, but he tugged his coat closer to him as he continued. Her voice still echoed in his mind.

_"I never want to see you again, Van Fanel."_

_"I didn't change for him! I changed for you!"_

_"Did you even see me at all?"_

_--**This is my December  
This is my time of the year**--_

He never felt so low in his entire life. It was as if his life had shattered and was falling apart all around him. Van had done the one thing he never, ever thought he would do: he hurt his Hitomi.

With that thought, Van stopped walking as realization hit him. His Hitomi? When did he start thinking like that? What was going on with him?

The snow continued to fall, but Van didn't notice. He was already numb on the inside.

_--**This is my December  
This is all so clear**--_

'How did I not realize this would hurt her? All this for some stupid job? I lost the one person who means the most to me in all the world, for a stupid promotion. I'm worse than scum.'

Van's shoulders slumped forward as he continued to walk with no real purpose. His surroundings went by him unnoticed. With his head hung low, Van just continued on his lonely path.

_"Did you even see me at all?"_

'What did she mean by that? Of course I saw her. How could I not?'

_--**This is my December  
This is my snow covered home**--_

_"You are a complete idiot, Van Fanel! I can't believe you would treat her that way! She would have done anything for you, even change herself completely."_

_"What are you talking about? I never wanted to change her."_

_"Then why did you ask her to?" Danielle was obviously frustrated, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk with him. Finally deciding on something, she turned back to him. "You know, she did it so you would finally see her."_

_"See her?"_

_Danielle sighed. "For you to truly see who she is. Hitomi thought if that change was what you really wanted then that's what she would become."_

_Van narrowed his eyes in confusion. "I don't understand."_

_Shaking her head, Danielle looked at him with sympathy. "Of course you don't. You don't because you are blind. Look at her with unclouded eyes. That's when you'll understand."_

_Before he could question her again, the blond threw his coat at him, turned and walked away. "I can't tell you, Van. You have to discover this on your own. Try to fix things before she's gone forever."_

_After hearing her words and picturing Hitomi's face, Van regretted everything._

_--**This is my December  
This is me alone**--_

The snow continued to fall, clinging to his hair, adding extra weight, but he didn't care. Why the hell did he do this to her? For his own selfish gain? How could he have been so stupid?

Van looked up to the dark sky above. Clouds were everywhere, covering the sky. 'Apparently that's me. What is being hidden from me? What could I have overlooked?'

_"You're such a guy, Van."_

The said man stopped in his tracks upon hearing her voice in his head. Memories of the past flashed in his mind.

_"I was trying to help her, you macadamia nut!"_

Her fiery attitude amused him, causing him to practically stalk her, just to find out her name. Her emerald eyes just boared into his maroon ones, going straight to his soul. Van had to find out all he could about her.

_--**(And I) Just wish I didn't feel  
like there was something I missed**--_

_"Come on, Hitomi. It's just one tiny Junior Prom. Please come with me?"_

_"Forget it, Sparky. I don't do dances. Have fun though."_

_"Please? I really want to go with you."_

_"Van, don't force me into it. Take Kaname."_

_"I don't want to take anyone else but you. Besides, Kaname and Sousuke are going together."_

_The girl sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't."_

He understood later her reasoning, but he refused to go with anyone. Later that night, Van remembered being lonely and lost. It just wasn't right without her.

_The door swung open slowly and an emerald eyed girl stared back at him. "Van? What are you doing here?"_

_Van smiled as he brought a single white rose from behind his back, handling it to her. "I'm here for you."_

_"Very funny, Fanel.__ I'm not going to that prom."_

_"Didn't say that.__ Want to go grab a bite to eat? My treat." _

_A weird look entered her eyes. "Really?"_

_"Really.__ Come on."_

_They went out and drove around until they spotted a diner. After going inside and ordering, Hitomi turned to him. "Why did you leave the prom?"_

_"I missed my best friend."_

_That weird look disappeared and… disappointment?... entered those emerald orbs. "Oh." After a moment, she asked, "What was it like?"_

_The evening went on with Van explaining everything in great detail for her. What he didn't notice before was her grip on the rose. It was tight, as if she were holding onto something that she would never have again._

Van paused. 'How did I overlook that before?'

_"Didn't think thinking was your strong suit."___

A smirk appeared on his face. 'When did her voice start filling my head?'

_"I never want to see you again."_

_--**(And I) Take back all I said  
to make you feel like that**--_

That smirk slowly came off his face as his long walk continued. His surroundings constantly changed, becoming somewhat familiar. Van didn't notice though, for he was lost in his mind."

_"I so worry about you."_

_"Glad to know you care, 'Tomi."_

'Why didn't I notice it before? She was always there, wasn't she? Almost everything I asked, she did. But why?'

_"I worry about your sanity level."_

'Gee thanks. What am I missing? What big thing did I overlook that was so obvious to everyone else?'

_--**(And I) Just wish that I didn't feel  
like there was something I missed**--_

_"I'm really going to miss you. I don't know if I can survive on my own."_

Shaking his head, Van's mind continued to drift back to old times he had come to treasure. Something crossed his mind from right before he and Danielle had broken up in college. It was right after Hitomi woke up from her coma.

_The blond sat on the park bench, looking up at him with a small smile on her face. A somewhat knowing look was in her brown eyes. "I know what we're really doing, Van. We're stalling time."_

_"Stalling time?"_

_"Yes. We're together to pass the time until we find what we are looking for." She turned her gaze away from him and towards the side. "I believe a person has to go through a least one wrong before they find what's right, their soul mate. They don't really appreciate what's so right for them until they have a wrong. Maybe that's why we've never kissed. It wasn't right." Looking back at him, Danielle had that same look on her face. "I'm here stalling you until you figure out who your right is. But time needs to continue moving. It needs to move onto a new moment, and so do we. Our time is over, Van. I know you know it too. That's why you came to me. It's time to move on."_

_Only a brief moment passed as Van nodded in agreement. He did want to talk to her about all this, whether they should stay together or not._

_Danielle stood up, giving him a kiss on the cheek and a hug. "I will be here to help whenever I can."_

_"Ditto."___

_She smiled as she walked away, but stopped and turned to him. "The hardest right to find is when it is right in front of you, where you love them with all your heart and soul without even knowing. Good luck, Van. Don't take too long."_

_--**(And I) Take back all the things  
I said to you**--_

'Right in front of me?'

Frustrated, he continued his journey, letting his mind continue to drift.

_Van stood alone in front of a gray stone slab on that dark and rainy day. This was the worse day of the entire year, every year. Bowing his head, he let the rain pour down on him until he felt something on his shoulder. Turning slightly, Van saw a pair of shining emerald eyes._

_Before he could question her, Hitomi spoke. "Merle told me." Slowly, she brought a white rose from behind her back and placed it on the gray stone, bowing her head slightly in respect._

_The gesture warmed Van's heart greatly. He had only given her the ring maybe three weeks ago and here she was, paying respects to a man she never knew._

_The emerald eyed girl looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. Without a word, Hitomi did something they had never done before- she wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. The action shocked and warmed him at the same time. It took him a moment before he returned the embrace, taking in all the comfort she had to give._

_Leaning up, he felt her lips by his ear as she whispered, "Happy Birthday, Van."_

_This was the one birthday that didn't have Van lost in grief and pain. He held her closer to him, letting all the pain go at that moment._

_--**And I give it all away  
Just to have somewhere to go to**--_

The pain in her eyes flashed in his mind again, causing Van's heart to hurt. Had he not promised he would protect her, so she would never feel this kind of betrayal? And yet he was the one to cause it. The irony of it all.

_"Your dreams will become reality, but not on the course you see. Two roads will be set forth in front of you. One will lead to a false happiness at a high cost, losing someone close to you, while the other will lead to everything you've wanted, just different from the original plan. You have to find this other road or else you will lose the one you cherish most forever. Do not be so skeptical with this reading. The rest of your life depends on this decision, whether you pick one route or the other. Choose very wisely."_

His eyebrows knotting together, Van paused in confusion. 'That fortune teller… during our safe graduation. I had forgotten all about that. If only I had listened.'

_"You do have a knack for talking without thinking… or just not thinking in general."_

'Can't argue with that.' His feet crunched on the snow that lay on the ground. Van watched his feet move on their own, somehow knowing where they wanted to take him. He didn't know where he was going or why he was walking to begin with. It was as if he had no where to go, as if he was lost. Never had he felt so alone.

_--**Give it all away  
to have someone to come home to**--_

_The door was kicked open as a large box with legs walked into the apartment. Boxes of all shapes and sizes were scattered all over the area, barely leaving enough room to more. Mr. Box fell to the ground and a human female stood there, looking back at the door. "Hurry up, Sparky!"_

_Van came in, dragging a medium box along. Breathing heavily, the raven haired man looked up at the woman. "Sorry. That thing's heavy!"_

_Raising an eyebrow, Hitomi walked over and picked up the box easily, taking it over to a separate pile. "Maybe you should hit the gym more, Sparky. How the heck were so many people afraid of you in high school when you can't even lift a small box?"_

_"Hey! It's not my fault you're freakishly strong!"_

_The emerald eyed girl smiled as she shook her head. "So, you gonna help me set up your apartment or are you gonna cry about your lack of muscles?"_

_"Why did I ask you to do this again?"_

_"You didn't. It's my way of saying thanks for helping me move into my own apartment two weeks ago."_

_"Ah! I moved more boxes that time, didn't I?"_

_"Well, you moved a few."_

_"How many?"___

_"You don't wanna know."_

_"Tell me."_

_"Two."_

_"And how many were there in total?"_

_"A lot more then two."___

_Shaking his head, Van looked around the new place that was to become his apartment. "How many of these did I move in?"_

_"Including the one you dragged?"_

_"Sure."_

_"One."___

_"How did that happen?"_

_"You couldn't find the elevator. I did."_

_"There's an elevator?"_

_Laughing a bit, Hitomi picked up her friend off the floor and pointed out the door towards the left. "Go down there and the magical moving vertical box is right there."_

_"See? You really do learn something new everyday."_

_"I worry oh so very much."_

_"Someone has to."_

_"Why me?"___

_"It's in the best friends' manual."_

_"Did I get a copy of this manual?"_

_"It's in the mail."_

_"Ah. Just checking."_

_Smiling at her, Van headed inside the very bare place.__ "Well, we better get started. How long do you think this is going to take?"_

_"Depends.__ Does that couch turn into a bed?"_

_"If you throw pillows and a blanket on it."___

_Smacking her forehead, the woman sighed. "Let's get this over with. You so owe me food for this."_

_"Deal."__ With that, the couple worked the rest of the afternoon and well into the night setting up the now full apartment, giving it character. As Van put a picture of him and Hitomi graduating on a shelving unit they bought, he turned towards the couch to pronounce them finished. To his surprise, the hyper Hitomi was now dead asleep on the apparently comfy couch. Smiling softly to himself, he picked her up gently and took her into the newly decorated bedroom, placing her on the mattress and bringing the blankets up to her chin. "Sleep sweet, 'Tomi."_

_Taking a pillow and blanket, he went out into the living room and made the comfy couch into a comfy bed. 'My first night in my new apartment spent on the couch. This is definitely a night to remember.' Smiling a bit, the man soon fell asleep._

_--**This is my December  
These are my snow-covered trees**--_

By now, all the trees around him were snow white, due to the flurries falling at an increasing rate. None of that mattered. Van could remember going in that day to be interviewed for the job at Astoria. Hitomi had helped him by asking random questions and also ironing his shirt while he was in the shower. By the time he came out all dressed and prepared, she had a small breakfast waiting for him in the kitchen. The female had insisted he eat before going on the interview.

_"Just what you need, a grumbling stomach when he asks what you'll bring to the job. Quick thinking, Fanel."_

Sighing, Van continued his endless walk to where ever, thinking back on everything. He was originally in another department until Maaya presented his ideas to Mr. Aston himself. That was when he was shifted over to Allen's department. How that blond crack head managed to get to head of the department was beyond comprehension, but that was beside the point. When did Allen dig his claws into him, controlling him like a puppet on a string? He should have realized earlier what was really going on. Because of his lack of intelligence, it cost him greatly. But, he loved his job… right?

_--**This is me pretending  
This is all I need**--_

Guilt coursed through him for the millionth time that evening. How had he though this job was worth selling his soul? Sure, the pay was nice and he enjoyed it in the beginning, but when he realized Allen was an asshole, he should have put a stop to it all. Why he didn't, he had no idea. 'I've never put anything before my friendship with Hitomi before. I just wanted this account so badly, I was blinded to everything else. Danielle was right about that much at least. Because I wanted so much at once, I lost sight of what was important, who was in important.'

Sighing, Van turned down one street and kept on walking into the night. 'What am I supposed to do now, Hitomi? I feel so lost without you. What did you want me to see?'

_--**(And I) Just wish that I didn't feel  
Like there was something I missed**--_

_Laughter filled the air as a raven haired male dragged a blind folded female down the sidewalk towards an unknown destination. "Van, you tell me what's going on right now."_

_"But that's no fun."_

_"Fanel…"_

_"What's the matter, Kanzaki? Afraid of what lies ahead?"_

_"Ha! You wish, Sparky."_

_"Then shut up and let me surprise you."_

_As Hitomi grumbled, Van pulled her off the course and into a grassy area. "Are we there yet?"_

_"Well, with that kind of attitude, I might as well take you home."_

_"After that long walk?!__ You must be kidding."_

_"I am. You can take the blindfold off now."_

_Quickly getting to work at removing the piece of cloth, Hitomi's emerald eyes went wide at the sight in front of her. "A paint ball field?"_

_"Not the kind with the guns, but still good." She looked over at him while he got into a white suit with a bag by his side, goggles in his hand. "In this lovely pouch on my hip contains several small water balloon like balls containing various colors of paint. We proceed to run around like crazy people while chucking the said paint filled balls at each other, making a human canvas. Sound good to you?"_

_To answer his question, Hitomi threw a nice violet one at him, hitting him right in the face. Luckily he had already put his goggles on by that time. Laughing at him, she took off into the gaming area, Van hot on her heels. "Oh, that's gonna cost you, Kanzaki."_

_"Only if you can catch me!"___

_"Oh, it's on!" With that, the two ran around, pelting each other with the paint balls. At one point, Van had Hitomi trapped in one area of the field, bouncing the paint ball in his hand. "I think I'm going to enjoy this."_

_Putting on her most innocent face, Hitomi pouted a bit. "You wouldn't do that to your best friend, would you?"_

_"Oh, not the puppy dog look AND the best friend card! That's just low."_

_Smiling, Hitomi walked up to him. "I know." Before he could do anything, she smashed a bright pink one on top of his head. Laughing, she tried to run away, but his arm found its way around her waist, yanking her into a pile of hay as she shrieked slightly. Van pinned her to the ground as she looked up at him. "I don't think pink looks that nice on me."_

_"You could start the new trend."_

_"I think not." With that, he broke a nice orange one on her. She just smiled and laughed, obviously having fun. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Happy Birthday, Hitomi."_

_Her eyes went wide as she looked at him. "I never told you…"_

_Smiling, he placed a finger over his lips. "I must not reveal my sources. I promised."_

_"And Van Fanel never breaks a promise."_

_"Bingo. Now, you want your present?"_

_"This game was more than enough…"_

_"Not at all!__ Come with me. We'd better change out of these."_

_Van got up and held out his hand to her, which she took. After they returned the suits to the man in charge, the maroon eyed man led Hitomi towards the lake, which was only a few minutes away. When they sat on the edge of the dock, she turned to him. "Now what do you have in mind?"_

_"First off, it is very, very hard to shop for you. You don't wear much jewelry so that's out right away. You're not into the pretty stuff most girls like, so a gift card to some expensive store is axed. Forget chocolates right away."_

_"Hey, why no chocolates?"___

_"Well, I'd eat them before I came close to you."_

_"Good point."_

_"So, I decided on something you'd never imagine someone knowing about you. First is this," At that moment, Van pulled out a small white rose from his pocket, which somehow stayed intact. "I had the man hang onto it for me during the game so it wouldn't get damaged. I know it's your favorite, so I thought you'd like one." Handing it to her, he was rewarded with a beautiful smile. "And while I'm on a roll," he pulled out a small rectangle box and handed it to her, seeing confusion take over her features. "You'll have to open it to find out what it is."_

_Directing her attention at the box in her hands, Hitomi took off the wrapping paper which obviously Mrs. Fanel did for him. Opening the box, her mouth fell open and she looked up at him. "Van! How did…"_

_Pleased with himself, Van answered her unasked question. "When you invited me into your room the first time, I noticed your small collection of ticket stubs. Might as well add this one to it."_

_"But Van, these are tickets to Phantom of the Opera!"_

_"I should hope they are, or else they screwed me over."_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi looked away. "No, you don't understand. This was the show my father was going to take me to."_

_The maroon eyed male looked at her more closely. "You never really told me anything about your dad."_

_It took her a moment before she was able to speak. "We had planned on seeing this show for weeks, but he wasn't feeling well around that time. When he got worse, we took him into the hospital to see what was wrong. Turned out he had cancer. It was too far advanced for them to do much, but they put him on chemo anyway to try and by him some time. My father was dead by the end of the year. That was about four years ago."_

_Taken aback by all of this, Van sighed. "You were only twelve. I'm so sorry, 'Tomi."_

_Waving her hand to dismiss his statement, she went on. "I think he would like me to see it with someone special, like a best friend. Since there are two tickets and all." Hitomi smiled at him as her emerald eyes became glassy with unshed tears._

_A soft smile spread on his face. "I would be honored to."_

_"You know, he would have liked you, even if just for the fact that you're my best friend."_

_"That means a lot to me. Thank you."_

_Smiling, they both sat there in silence, watching the sunset in front of them._

Van smiled slightly at the memory, that being his very first real show. It was a part of her he hadn't seen before, something he would have missed out on if he never tried to get to know her.

_"Did you even see me at all?"_

_--**(And I) Take back all the things I said  
To make you feel like that**--_

'That's what I don't understand. I've known Hitomi what seems like forever. I know all her likes and dislikes, what makes her happy and sad, what makes her who she is. I've been there through all her hard times. I was there when no one else was.'

He could feel his cell phone vibrating in his pocket, but he didn't care. He just wasn't ready to talk to anyone at the moment, no matter who it was. If it was important, they would leave him a message anyway.

Walking around the dark city, Van couldn't even imagine what Hitomi was feeling at the moment. 'I did something I promised I'd protect her from. What kind of friend am I? I used her in the worse way possible.' Something just didn't sit well with him though. Something she had said…

_"Everything I've ever done since you put this ring on my finger has been because or for you! How could you not see that?"_

_--**(And I) Just wish that I didn't feel  
Like there was something I missed**--_

'What did she mean by that? I just don't understand.' Shaking his head, causing some of the snow to tumble down his sides, Van continued his seemingly endless walk to nowhere, digging deep into his mind for memories that just might give him a clue.

_"Guys are so dense."_

Smilingly slightly, he nodded. 'For once, I'll have to agree with this statement. What am I missing, Hitomi?'

_"I didn't know thinking was your strong suit, Van."_

Sighing, his long walk continued as his mind kept picturing her face with different displays of emotion. When he first met her, Hitomi's face was angry and hard, not letting anyone get to her. Day by day, her features softened, letting some happiness take over until her anger disappeared, or rather became dormant. The way her eyes lit up when she smiled was what made him want to see her smile more often. Those beautiful emerald eyes showed him everything, including the hurt and pain when the truth finally came out. Her tears flowed freely as she ran away from him, away from what had made her sadness reappear after years of happiness.

Shaking his head once again, he kept walking. 'What have I done?'

_--**(And I) Take back all the things  
I said to you**--_

The ground was covered in the white flurries that fell from the sky, bringing with it more despair to the raven haired male wandering the streets. Bit by bit, Van became more guilty and depressed, but also very confused. What was he supposed to do now?

'I really can't picture my life without her. It would be so incomplete.'

The hour was drawing very late as darkness surrounded him. Whether that was from the air or his depression was debatable. All Van could see at the moment was her hurt face, her tears as she ran.

Smacking his hand to his forehead, Van let loose something that could only be called a growl. "Why am I such an idiot?!? I give it all up just to take it back. I just wish I could take it all back." His voice was defeated, not having the confidence it once held. "I don't even know where to go now. Where do I go from here?"

_--**And I give it all away  
Just to have somewhere to go to**--_

_"With you, I finally found a true friend. You were exactly what I was looking for, what I needed. I guess you could say you've saved my life, Van."_

Some friend he turned out to be. That night on the boat, he swore to himself to protect her. Van never imagined he'd have to do so from himself. 'What kind of person have I turned into?'

_"Well, they would only see a person for what they are worth, as in what they could do to move themselves up in the world. They befriend them and eventually use them to get what they really want, then dump them off to the side. Truly horrible people."_

Slamming his fist into a nearby building, rage entered him at that moment. 'That's not me! I never saw her as that. Hitomi was never something I sought to gamble with. Never would I have risked so much for something so stupid. But why? Why did I do it? Why did I throw it all away?'

Annoyance and despaired swirled inside him as Van pushed himself off the wall and continued his walk. The area looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't quite place it in his state of mind. 'It doesn't matter. My walk has not reached a destination or realization yet. Where do I have to go anyway? There's no one to go home to. There's nothing waiting for me in my lonely apartment.'

_--**Give it all away  
To have someone to come home to**--_

Reaching deep into his pocket, Van's fingers brushed up against something small and round as well as his vibrating cell phone. Stopping to pull the item out of the deep abyss, he looked at it with deep sorrow. 'The Celtic ring I gave her all those years ago.' After she had thrown it at his feet, he had picked it up, holding it in his hand as it seemed to burn a hole in him. It was at that point Danielle came up to him and let him have it. He had placed it in his pocket to hang onto, but had forgotten about it during his long reflecting walk around the city.

A sad smile graced his lips. 'I remember the day I gave to her, what I had said.'

_"I guess you could call it a token of friendship. Basically, with this ring I'm saying you're my best friend."_

'Hitomi…Have I truly lost you forever?'

_"I never, ever want to see you again."_

Shaking his head as he clutched the ring in his hand, anger flowed through him. 'No. I can't accept that. I have to see her again. I can't live without her.'

It was at that moment when the surroundings were way too familiar. Van looked up to see Hitomi's apartment building across the street. Noticing her apartment light on, he was tempted to climb the fire escape and demand she listen to him. 'She just has to.'****

_--**This is my December  
This is my time of the year**--_

Looking up, Van paused as his heart shattered at the sight he saw. Though it was small due to where he was standing, he could clearly see his precious Hitomi sitting beside the window in her tank top and plaid pajama pants, legs curled up with her arms around them, bringing them into her chest as her head rested on top. Her face held so much pain as well as tears, as if her whole world collapsed in the ultimate betrayal.

Seeing her like that made him wish he could die, taking all her pain away in that one moment. Her ring still in hand, Van sank to the ground, sitting so he could still see her but she could not see him. All he could do was watch as each tear fell down her face. At one point, the strong, proud girl buried her face into her knees, shoulders shaking as she was obviously crying her eyes out.

Leaning his head against the wall, Van could look at her no longer. His heart could not take seeing her so upset, especially knowing he was the one that caused it. 'I've been such a fool. For something so petty and useless, I betrayed myself and Hitomi. She should not have to sit up there feeling this much pain. Why couldn't I see and prevent this? Why did I throw away everything I love?'

_"The hardest right to find is when it is right in front of you, where you love them with all your heart and soul without even knowing."_

Van's head snapped up as his thoughts finally caught up with him. 'Is that it?'

_--**This is my December  
This is all so clear**--_

'I love her. All those memories simply proved it. I've been in love with her since the beginning. Ever since the day I saw her beautiful emerald eyes glaring at him, I've loved her. I just never realized it until she changed. She changed to fit what she thought I wanted. Why would she do that?'

It didn't take him as long to figure this one out. 'She's in love with me. Of course! Those weird looks in her eyes were clues, a hidden message into what she was really feeling. She wanted me to know, wanted me to figure it out. Back then, when she asked what her friend should do, Hitomi meant herself. After all this time, she never spoke a word.'

Looking over at her window once again, Van's eyes softened. 'I do. I'm in love with Hitomi. I always have been and I always will be.'

That's when he remembered why he had begun this not so little walk. Smacking his head against the wall behind him, he groaned. 'Why couldn't I have figured it out sooner? Is it too late now? Have I truly lost her?'

Sighing, the man sat there as the snow continued to descend upon his head. 'Everything I've ever done, everything I've worked so hard for… I'd give it all up if only to be able to make up for the wrongs I have done her. I am so sorry for it all.'

_--**And I give it all away  
Just to have somewhere to go to**--_

Looking at the Celtic ring in between his fingers, Van stood and walked so he was just under her balcony. As he gazed up at it, the ring slipped from his hands and into his jacket pocket. 'There has to be a way. I won't give up, now that I know what I have missed. I only hope it will be enough and she will forgive me. I don't know what I'd do if she didn't.'

Feeling the ring in his pocket, Van turned down the street, leaving her apartment building. 'Besides, I have something to return to her.'

As he walked the long trek back to the banquet hall to retrieve his car, images of her smiling face entered his mind. 'Hitomi, I have to get you back. I've only just recently seen all I needed to see. I am in love with you. I have been since I was fifteen years old. Please tell me I still have a chance.'

A weird feeling entered Van's side as he felt his cell phone vibrate again, telling him someone was trying to reach him. It didn't matter at this point. All that mattered was trying to figure out how to get her back. 'I'll do all it takes, Hitomi. You are my right, my soul mate. I'll make sure everything is made right again. I promise.'

With that, he headed back, eventually to go to an empty and distant apartment that held no warmth. 'One day, maybe she'll be there.'

_--**Give it all away  
To have someone to come home to**--_

As his final walk of realization came to an end, the skies parted as the snow and clouds disappeared, showing off a brilliant clear sky, clear enough to see the stars.

_"Look, a shooting star! Make a wish."_

Smiling a soft smile, Van closed his eyes and concentrated hard. 'I wish we both fulfill our destinies and that not everything is lost for good."

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-And that is Chapter Nine. Remember, killing the author is a bad thing. You won't be able to find out what comes next. I'm sorry I had to torture poor Van. After everything that happened, it had to be done. But he finally figured it out!!!! Yay!!! Hopefully Chapter Ten will be out soon, but at the rate I'm going, I doubt within the next two weeks. The song "**_My December_**" is by the fabulously talented _Linkin__Park_.

In other news, this fanfic was nominated for the Elimination site! Basically that means this fic goes up against other fics and the voters get to decide which one is the best. **_There's Not A Thing I Would Change _**made it to Round 2!!!! The link is in my profile if you want to take a look!

I MISS MY SQUIGGLES!!!!! Ja ne!-


	11. The Ultimate Sacrifice

--Welcome back to the insanity of my mind. Please, leave your coat and mind behind. Lol. I'm just kidding. Here's Chapter Ten for you. Flashbacks will be marked again, just like the previous chapters.--  
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**_Chapter Ten: The Ultimate Sacrifice_**

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

Beep

"Hitomi, please answer the phone. I know you're there. 'Tomi, please just talk to me? We could always talk before. I really don't want to talk to your machine, but I will if I have to. Look, I was a jerk, I'll admit that. I am so sorry, Hitomi. It wasn't supposed to go this far. I should have just told you from the beginning what was going on. Kami, this would be so much easier if you'd pick up the phone. Please, just talk to me."

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

Beep

"Well, if I counted correctly, this is my ninth message to you today. Your machine might like it better if you'd pick up. I know you're furious with me at the moment, but I really need to talk to you about all this. Please Hitomi. I don't want to lose you. This would be a lot easier if I could talk to you face to face. Listen, I'll be at the diner tonight at eight. Meet me there so we can talk? Well, hopefully I'll see you there. Ja."

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

Beep

"Okay, I can understand why you never showed up, but I seriously think we should talk. Please don't shut me out without explaining, Hitomi. I can't bear to think our friendship is over. Just give me another chance, please?"

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

Beep

"It's me again. Your machine must be overloading by now, considering the twenty messages I left yesterday and the ten I left so far today. Anyway, I wanted you to know I quit Astoria that night. I don't know what I'll do yet, but I know I won't return to them. I also told Dryden about Dilandau and he promised to make sure he won't be employed anywhere in the country, so you won't have to worry about him anymore. Here's my standard plead: please talk to me?"

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

Beep

"Hitomi, it's been a week since that night. Won't you please just talk to me? I miss you."

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

Beep

"Please talk to me, Hitomi."

----------------------------

Van sighed as he hung up the phone after his latest message. It had been a week since that night, the night that ruined everything he had with her. That night he realized he was in love with her. Each day that passed hurt his heart more and more, leaving him feeling more distant from her. There had to be something Van could do, anything to hear her voice again beside through the answering machine. Even if it was just her screaming her head off at him, he would take it. He deserved much worse, just what he was getting now.

Lying on his couch, Van looked up at his ceiling, contemplating what he could possibly do. 'She's not the type of girl to forgive someone over a bouquet of flowers. She'd probably shred them in front of me and then slam the door in my face. Gifts won't work either. They'd be weapons for her to chuck at my head. She probably wouldn't talk to me even if I went over to her apartment. What can I do?'

Clutching his head while covering his eyes, Van sighed then moved off the not as comfy couch to grab his jacket and car keys. 'Maybe a drive will help.' Walking out of his apartment, he went over to the elevator and pushed the button to the garage below. During the small ride, his mind traveled back to a time that seemed so far away.

_-Flashback-_

_"You didn't fix your tie."_

_"I usually do it while I'm on my way to the office."_

_"Come here, baka. I'll fix it for you. Now hold still."_

_As her fingers began to work, the elevator door opened a floor early, allowing an elderly couple to enter. Van could feel her body close to his as her fingers worked their magic on his now perfect tie. While Hitomi concentrated hard on what she was doing, Van closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, the same scent that lingered in his bedroom. _

_This small moment was broken up when she pulled away from him. "All done."_

_-End Flashback-_

Leaning his head against the walls of the vertically moving box, Van silently swore. 'What I wouldn't give to inhale that scent again… her scent.'

The elevator stopped on the floor he needed and after the doors opened, Van stepped out, heading straight towards his car. Unlocking and climbing into it, he turned the key in the ignition and threw it into reverse, backed out and headed to the exit.

Heading out onto the somewhat open road, the maroon eyed man drove in a random direction, trying to clear his mind. 'Maybe the radio will help.' Reaching over and pushing the button, his finger accidentally hit the CD button, deciding to play whatever was in his CD player. As the lyrics came out of the speakers, Van frowned. 'It's her CD.' He knew the words by heart by now, considering he had heard it so many times, but this time, the lyrics took on a whole different meaning.

_"Lately I've been wandering  
__Off the narrow path  
__You've given me so many things that I've never had  
__And all in all I know it's you that always pulls me through  
__If you reach deep inside you'll see my heart is true_

_"'Cause I hate the way I feel tonight  
__And I know I need you in my life  
__Yes I hate the way I feel inside  
__And I promise to make the sacrifice (yeah)_

_"Come on_

_"The world I know is pulling me  
__More and more each day  
__I feel like the odd man out as I begin to pray  
__Spiteful eyes are watching me  
__With everything I do  
__In the midst of darkness Lord  
__My spirit calls for you_

_"'Cause I hate the way I feel tonight  
__And I know I need you in my life  
__Yes I hate the way I feel inside  
__And I promise to make the sacrifice (yeah)_

_"I feel like this_

_"'Cause I hate the way I feel tonight  
__And I know I need you in my life  
__Yes I hate the way I feel inside  
__And I promise to make the sacrifice _

_"'Cause I hate the way I feel tonight  
__And I know I need you in my life (yeah)_

_"The way I feel (the way)  
__The way I feel"_

Not being able to hear anymore, Van immediately shut off the radio, content with driving in silence. That song hit just a little too close to home for him. Suddenly taking a turn, Van sped down the road towards a familiar apartment building. Sighing, he concentrated on the road and not the area around him, carefully maneuvering around the cars beside him.

Finally, he pulled over and parked the car in an open spot. Getting out of the car, Van sighed once again as he walked over to the very nice building. A door man opened the door for him while smiling. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Fanel."

Giving the man a weak smile, he entered the lavish building, heading straight for the elevator. Pressing the appropriate button, Van waited as the box rose to take him to his destination. Finally, the doors opened and he walked down the familiar hallway to the correct room number. '1613. Here we go.' Raising his hand, the raven haired man knocked twice on the door, waiting for whoever lived there to answer. Just as he was about to knock again, the door swung open and he was staring into very familiar deep brown, almost red, eyes.

Smiling a bit, Van shifted from one foot to another. "Hi Folken. Can I come in? I really need to talk."

Moving aside, Folken allowed his little brother to enter the apartment. The place was rather large, holding three bedrooms, a study, an office room, small library, living room and kitchen as well as two bathrooms. If you couldn't tell Folken was well off from his place, you had to be mentally not there.

Both men moved into the living room area, which consisted of a couch, big comfortable chair, a coffee table covered with reports and books, a big screen TV, DVD/VCR player, and a wall shelving unit filled with books, pictures and random items collected over the years. One picture caused great sadness as well as a smile from Van. It was the day he and Hitomi had graduated high school all those years ago.

Shaking his head, he turned to his older brother, who seemed a bit ticked off. "Before you say anything, my brother, I have something I have to do."

Raising one eyebrow, Van was indeed shocked when Folken's fist came in contact with the left side of his face, causing him to take a few steps back. "What the…?" Folken never raised a fist to anyone, let allow a family member.

"That was for never returning my call about a week. You had us all worried, to the point where I had to call Hitomi." Seeing that look in his eye, Van realized his older brother knew what had happened.

In a weakened voice, he questioned, "how is she doing?"

Sighing, the silver haired man sat in his big chair, watching as his brother sat on the couch. "I couldn't get much out of her. She was crying too much." After saying that, Folken saw Van flinch and look down to the floor, as if ashamed of something. Raising one eyebrow, he asked, "What happened exactly?"

Cringing slightly, the maroon eyed man sighed. "You want the abridged version or the longer one?"

"The one that tells me why your best friend is crying her eyes out and you're not there."

"That's because I caused her tears." That caused Folken to sit up a bit, nodding his head to tell Van to continue. "About a month ago, my boss told me I was one of the people that could get this big account, since my work was getting better. That Friday, Hitomi came to get me for lunch and he became interested in her. After calling me into his office, he told me in not so many words if I wanted the account, I'd have to make sure Hitomi went to the banquet with him as well as date him all week. If I didn't get the account, Dilandau would and then fire me as soon as he could. Stupid me agreed to Allen's demands…"

Folken sat straight up on that one. "Allen? Allen Schezar?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Anger overtook his brother's face. "I knew him in college. I guess he hasn't changed much. Keep talking."

Shaking his head, Van leaned forward and lowered his head to look at the ground again, arms resting on his legs. "I talked her into it, but didn't tell her the true reason why I wanted her to go out with him. I didn't even tell her he was my boss. Allen was such a jackass with her, making me so angry at him and myself. Hitomi didn't deserve that kind of treatment. Finally, the day of the banquet arrived. I was so relieved because soon it would all be over. We could go back to the way things were before. If only I were so lucky. That night was the worse night ever. An old enemy of her past turned out to be my rival, Dilandau. When she had still attended Mystic Moon, he had tried to rape her. He tried again that night, but I got there just in time. Later that night, Allen told me he was going to try and sleep with her, whether she liked it or not. I got so crazed and tried to stop him, but in doing so, I told Hitomi everything. She was so angry with me and stormed out, telling me she never wanted to see me again. And now, she won't return any of my calls."

Sitting back a bit, Folken took in all Van had told him. "Tell me something, Van. Have you figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out?"

"What she truly means to you."

Shaking his head, Van's eyebrows knitted together. "I don't understand…"

"Do you love her?"

Hearing that out loud caused Van to pause for a moment. The time he had spent without her had been horrible, causing him to barely leave the apartment. He hadn't even called back Folken, Danielle or Robin since that night. It was if he had lost a part of himself. Looking right in his brother's eyes, he nodded slightly. "Yes I do. Very much."

The older man's face got bright as he laughed slightly. "Finally! I thought you'd never figure it out."

-Sweatdrop-

Clearing his throat, Van looked at his brother with wide eyes. "Excuse me?!?"

"Don't look so surprised, little brother. I've known this for quite some time now, even during high school."

The look on Van's face could only be described as a mixture of confusion and shock. "What?!?"

"Think about it, Van. Do you even remember who your other friends were? Hitomi awoke a side of you that died the same time dad did. You were so happy and so blind to the love you had for her. You did your best to make sure she never felt sorrow or pain. You were always there for her, placing her before yourself. If that's not love, I don't know what is."

Hearing this caused the raven haired man to blink as well as think. 'Was I that blind that everyone could see but me?'

Shaking his head, Folken stood and sighed. "Alright, there are a few things that must be done. First one being this…" At that moment, the taller man connected his fist with his little brother's face once again, sending the boy on his back.

Van looked up at him with slight anger. "What the hell? I didn't come here to get my ass kicked."

"It's what you deserve for treating Hitomi like a pawn in your little game. I can't believe I'm related to someone so stupid."

Sighing, Van glared at his brother as he picked himself off the floor. "I know, okay? I screwed up."

"It's not okay, you twit. Did you not realize you could have pulled out of this entire thing when I made you that offer the day before this banquet thing? You could have gotten out of it before anything happened!" Throwing his arms up in the air, Folken walked away from Van. "I have the overwhelming desire to punch you yet again."

"Please hold that desire back. I think my face is beginning to swell."

Shaking his head again, Folken took a deep breath and walked back over to his chair, sitting down in it while thinking. "Okay, first things first, you have to call or visit all those people whose calls you've been ignoring for the past week. I'll let you do that whenever. Now, to figure out how to get Hitomi to forgive you. If I know her correctly, this will be next to impossible."

"Jee, your confidence level in me is just so comforting."

"Am I wrong?"

Sighing, Van plopped down on the couch. "No, sadly."

After a moment of silence, Folken let out this frustrated sound and threw Van the phone. Raising one eyebrow in confusion, the younger Fanel looked to his senior. "Although I know how one would operate such a device, what am I doing with it?"

"You're calling those people who you never called back while I think of some kind of plan. Might as well do something since your thinking skills are obviously not useful at the moment."

"I'd comment but I don't think I can."

"Thus proving my statement. Call."

Sighing, Van thought for a moment, then dialed one number while his brother continue to lay in his chair with his eyes closed. After ringing a few times, he finally heard a familiar voice. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Van?!? Where are you?"

"At Folken's. Listen, I-" The call was cut short when he realized his friend had hung up on him. Confused slightly, Van hit the end button and sat for a moment. 'Well that was rather odd. I expected yelling or at least a slight conversation.'

As soon as that thought ended, there was a loud knock at the door. Raising his eyebrow, Van stood and went to the entrance way, seeing as Folken was now in a meditation like trance. Not bothering with the peep hole, he undid the chain lock and swung the door open. No sooner was it open then a fist met with his face, sending him back a bit. "What the…"

"WHAT THE HELL, FANEL?!?!?"

Looking up from his bloody nose in shock, Van was face with a very angry Danielle, who was being held back by Gaddes. She looked ready to kick some ass and it took a lot of effort by the man behind her to hold her back. "YOU BAKA! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS?!? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A STINKIN PHONE?!?!?"

Trying to wipe the blood away with his fist, Van stood to face his enraged friend. "I'm sorry. I just needed some time to think."

"AND YOU COULDN'T SAY THAT IN A STUPID FIVE SECOND CALL?!? THE VERY LEAST YOU COULD HAVE DONE WAS TELL ME YOU WERE ALRIGHT!"

"That's just it, Danielle. I'm not."

The furious woman calmed down immediately hearing that, realizing what he meant. Sighing, she shook off Gaddes' hold on her and walked over to the injured man. Shaking her head and adding a small smile to her face, she pulled his fingers away from his nose as she pulled out a Kleenex from her pocket. "Such a cry baby. I don't know how your high school class feared you. You can't even take a simple bloody nose."

Blinking a few times, Van smiled as well, confusing Gaddes greatly. "Man, you two are something else."

Chuckling a bit, the blond turned and looked at him after giving the raven haired man the tissue. "Well, we did date for awhile back in college."

Smiling sideways, the man rubbed the back of his head. "Should I be worried?"

"I'll settle for jealousy."

Grinning just a bit, the maroon eyed man sighed while wiping away the blood. "So, you and Gaddes, huh? Never would have figured that. He's too sane for you."

Smacking him lighting on the arm, she sent a glare at him. "I can give you more than a bloody nose, you know. Besides, I'm converting him to the dark side, or rather the insane side."

"Run for your life, man."

Before she could smack him again, Gaddes came over and took her hand, covering it with his own. "I think I'll stick around and take my chances. Besides, you'll gain less injuries while I'm around."

"Oh, you two are no fun. Can't I at least throw my shoe at John or smack him upside the head?"

"Only if Robin says it's okay."

"I can live with that."

A loud groan was heard in the area of the large chair. "Kami, can you guys talk any louder? I'm trying to think here!"

"And what is the all mighty Folken concentrating on now?" Danielle inquired as they all headed towards the couch to sit.

"How we can get Hitomi to forgive Van."

A small laugh came from her lips. "Hitomi Kanzaki, forgive someone that betrayed her and used her like a piece of meat? You're up shit's creek without a paddle, buddy. Worse, you lost your canoe."

"The mass amounts of support I'm getting here is incredible."

"I'm detecting sarcasm here."

"Good."

"Watch it or I'll make you bleed again."

"Yes ma'am."

Shaking his head, Folken turned his attention to the female in the room. "You were also there that night, correct?" After seeing her nod, he pressed on. "You saw exactly what happened. Any ideas on how to gain her forgiveness or at least get her talking to him?"

"With or without him gaining bodily injury?" Seeing the look Van gave her, she smiled slightly, then lowered her head to concentrate. "Okay, let me think. And no comments from you, Vanny, or I'll smack you so hard, so help me Kami."

All the men in the room raised one eyebrow at her statement, apparently confused, shocked or amused. Gaddes was the one to speak up. "Vanny?"

Raising her head up, she blinked. "What? I can't call him Sparky. That's Hitomi's thing. Besides, I figured it would probably annoy him, thus marking off another one of my life's goals."

"You're very sadistic, you know that?"

"It's a gift. Now, shut up so I can listen to the other voices in my head converse." Not even bothering with a comeback for that one, the men sat in silence, waiting for the American to say something. After a few moments, she snapped her fingers. "There were a few points that made her pretty ticked off. One was being humiliated like that in front of so many people. Think about it. Being used for all that time and instead of having it revealed in private, it's out in front of strangers? That's just bad. If she didn't slug you, I would have."

"Oh, this is really making me feel better."

"That wasn't the point of this get together, Vanny. Anyway, I'm thinking you have to throw dignity aside and show her your vulnerable side."

Folken raised an eyebrow again. "He has dignity?"

Before Van could attack his brother, Danielle cut in, "well, let's redo that. What's something you absolutely hate doing in public?"

After sending his sibling a glare, the maroon eyed man thought for a moment. "Besides prancing around naked?"

Cringing at the thought, Danielle covered her eyes and rocked back in forth as if she was in pain. "Ahhh!!!! Evil mental picture!!!! I'm gonna kill you for that one, Fanel."

Gaddes shook his head. "Hey, if it's a bad image for you, a female, think what it's like for me!"

"Awww, poor baby."

"You're just too kind."

Clearing his throat, Van gained back the attention. "ANYWAY, the only other thing I can think of is…"  
----------------------------

"Hi, you've reach the apartment of Hitomi Kanzaki. Obviously I can't come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message after the beep. Ja ne!"

"Hitomi, it's me yet again. I know you are probably very tired of my voice, but I wanted to say once again how sorry I am. It's killing me knowing you're so hurt and there is nothing I can do to help, considering I caused it. Please, just talk to me, even if it's to curse me out. Please."  
----------------------------

After hanging up the phone again, Van sat in his chair in the living room in a defeated slump. It had been a total of two weeks now that she wasn't speaking to him. This plan of theirs had better work or he just didn't know what to do. A few strings had to be pulled, including calling Robin and John, which resulted in another attack. Van knew now not to underestimate Robin's strength. When he came out of his little blackout, she was under some kind of control by her husband. It took awhile for the swelling to go down.

For the past week, he had been working hard at the plan as well as thinking about Folken's offer to work for at his advertising company. Was he really ready to jump back into that life so soon? 'First thing's first. I have to gain Hitomi's forgiveness before doing anything else.'

A loud ring was heard throughout the apartment, breaking Van out of his deep thinking. Shaking his head, he answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Van. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

His blood immediately froze as he took a slight breath. "Hello mother. How have you been?"

"I was calling to ask you the same thing. Merle has been worried sick since you never returned her call from two weeks ago. Also, I heard about what's going on from Folken."

Lowering himself to sit on the couch, he sighed. "So you know the whole story?"

"Sadly. I thought I raised you better than that, Van."

"You did, mom. I was just so…"

"I think the word you are looking for is stupid."

"That would work."

"Well, one good thing came out of all of this."

Raising one eyebrow, Van questioned, "Good thing?"

"You finally realize how you feel about her, that you love her. I was beginning to think you'd never figure it out."

Van nearly fell off the couch. "You knew?!?"

"Oh please. Give me a little credit, son. You take after your father that way, so blind to the obvious. Such a guy."

-Sweatdrop-

Rubbing his temples with one hand, the maroon eyed man tried to push back a migraine he knew was coming. "Glad to know my family knew this for eleven years and didn't feel the need to tell me."

"Don't be dumb, Van. Would you have believed us if we told you? You had to figure it out on your own, though I must say the timing is a bit off."

"You can say that again."

"So, you are going after her, right? Do you need any help?"

Smiling at his mother's question, he shook his head. "The gang helped come up with a plan. We're going through with it tonight."

"Does it have to do with what Folken picked up last week from here?"

"Yeah."

There was a short pause before his mother's voice flowed through the phone again. "Good luck. Hopefully all will go well."

Smiling again, Van replied, "Thanks mom. Tell Merle I'm sorry for me?"

"Surely. Call me if you need anything and to tell me how it goes."

"Yes mom. I have to get going though."

"Alright. Bye Van."

"Bye mom." Hanging up the phone, Van took a deep breath as he grabbed his jacket and car keys before leaving his apartment. After taking the elevator to the garage, he jumped in his car and headed out on the road, determined to try and make her speak to him before resorting to the plan.

Driving for awhile, he finally saw the high school come into view. Pulling up, he turned into the school and parked in his usual spot, which was vacant. Locking it, he walked over to the main office and smiled at the secretary. "Hi Keiko."

Startled, the woman looked up and blinked at him. "Mr. Fanel? Wow, it's been awhile."

"About two weeks if memory serves me correctly. Is she in class?"

Frowning slightly, she shook her head. "There was a field trip today to the Espano Theatre. They all left around eight or so, leaving a sub in her class."

Nodding his head, he questioned, "Do you know when they are supposed to be back?"

"I think around four or so."

'Meaning she won't get home until around five, probably later.' Giving her a small smile, Van nodded. "Thanks for the info, Keiko. Hopefully I'll see you soon." At that, he turned and headed for the exit.

"Umm, Mr. Fanel?"

Stopping, Van turned around and raised an eyebrow at the secretary. "Yeah?"

A small blush appeared on her face, signaling her slight embarrassment. "Please don't think of me as being nosey, but what happened between you and Hi-Ms. Kanzaki?"

Walking back over to her, Van knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, she hasn't been herself lately. She's usually cheerful and ready to take on the day, even though it's obvious she's not really a morning person. Lately, she's been depressed and looks about ready to cry at the drop of a hat. One of her students came in one day and was talking about how they haven't really been singing lately. It's as if she's lost something very dear to her."

Taking all of this very hard, Van struggled a bit before responding. "Tell me, Keiko. In all the time we've been here, what do you think of Hitomi and me?"

"I don't understand what you're asking."

"What do you notice about us?"

Without wasting a moment, she answered, "oh, you two are in love with each other."

Coughing a bit, the maroon eyed man looked over the secretary with wide eyes. "Huh?"

"Oh yeah. I've known since you walked in here to pick her up for lunch the first day of school."

-Sweatdrop-

Blinking many times, Van gazed at her as if she had three heads. "Are you serious?"

"Sure. The whole school knows. It was kind of obvious."

After the raven haired male fell to the floor anime style, he brushed himself off and shook his head. "Why wasn't it obvious to me?"

"Well, duh! You're such a guy!" Shocked at her forwardness, the young man stared at Keiko, who was simply smiling. "So, what did you do that made her so upset?"

Sighing once again and scratching the back of his head, Van told her the entire story, not leaving a single detail out. He watched her eyes the most, considering they gave away her emotions. Finally, when he was finished, he waited for her reaction. Shaking her head, the brown eyed woman sighed. "You're lucky we're on school property. I'd probably slug you."

"Believe me. A lot of others had the pleasure of doing so. Since when did you become so violent anyway?"

"I've been with Yusuke too long not to pick it up. Anyway, this plan of yours better work out or you better pray for some kind of miracle. Want me to give you Kurama's number? He's a friend of Yusuke who's very good at words."

Shaking his head, Van declined. "I think it would be better if the words came from me."

"Okay. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Thinking for a moment, he smiled. "Maybe. Do you happen to have a pen and paper?"

Rolling her eyes at him, she laughed. "No… I'm only a secretary. What use would I have for such things?"

"I'll save my fake laughter for another day. Let me give you my cell number. Can you give me a call when Hitomi leaves for the night?"

"Oh sure. No problem."

After telling her the number, Van gave her another smile. "Well, wish me luck."

"You're going to need it."

"I'm loving all the confidence people have been giving me lately. Bye, Keiko."

"Bye, Mr. Fanel."

Before stepping out of the office, he turned to look over his shoulder at her. "Hey, Keiko. It's okay for you to call me Van, considering."

Smiling at him, she nodded. "Bye, Van."

Leaving the office, the man bumped into a female student who looked very familiar. "Hey, aren't you that new girl I met before? Ayame Endoso?"

Nodding her head at him, the girl smiled. "You're the one that showed me to Ms. Kanzaki's room."

'I don't know why I'm doing this…' Clearing his throat, he looked down at her. "What do you know about Ms. Kanzaki and myself?"

Without hesitation, Ayame's smile grew wider. "You're in love with each other."

Hearing the laughter from inside the office, Van turned his gaze up to the ceiling. "Okay, so I'm a blind idiot."

The girl shrugged. "You have an excuse. You're a guy." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Van to stare at her wide eyed, mouth hanging open in shock, as Keiko was rolling on the floor with laughter.

Shaking his head, he turned to look at her as tears were now falling down her face. "Jee, did that amuse you?"

"The….. pain…" was all he could make out in between the laughter. Sighing, Van turned and walked out of the high school before anymore embarrassing things happened.  
----------------------------

Sitting in his apartment, Van looked around the room, letting his eyes take in each and every picture he had framed. All of them, minus one, had her in them. The only one that didn't was a family portrait from when Van's father was alive. He was smiling at the camera while keeping the two brothers from picking on each other, Varie holding little Merle still. They looked so happy back then, so peaceful. What would his father say to him if he were alive now? He had always been so full of advice, being the first one little Van would run to when he needed help. After listening to what he had to say, his father would probably ruffle his hair and tell him to follow his heart, like he did each and every time.

Unable to hold back a smile, Van turned his gaze up to the ceiling, trying to keep calm and relaxed until he received the phone call that would start everything. He didn't realize when his eyes began to close…

_-Flashback-_

_Lying on top of her bed as they always did, both teens looked up at her star covered ceiling, just content with being silent as they let their thoughts wander. Her calm voice broke through the silence with a random question. "If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?"_

_Smirking a bit, he replied, "of course running into you. What was I thinking? You've brought me nothing but trouble, Kanzaki."_

_After giving him a nice smack on the arm, Hitomi shook her head. "I'm serious, Sparky. Really think about it."_

_"Alright.__ Give me a minute."_

_"Try not to get any of those thinking cramps."_

_"I'll do my best, but they're just so picky." Van sat there and gave it some good thought, all the things he went through in his life. Dealing with his father's death, sinking into a depression, joining a gang… There was a lot to consider. Finally, a smile broke out onto his face as he turned eighteen year old face to look at her. "Nothing."_

_Raising her eyebrow at him, the emerald eyed girl looked confused. "Nothing? Not one little thing?"_

_"There's not a thing I would change."_

_"Reason?"___

_"Well, I figure everything happens for a reason. All the things I went through may have hurt, but they made me stronger, able to face life with different eyes. Besides, if it wasn't for all the bad stuff, I wouldn't be able to recognize all the good that happened to me as well. I wouldn't have been able to go after you and, seeing as you are my very best friend, I'm glad I did. Without the bad, I wouldn't be able to appreciate having you by my side."_

_A moment of silence went by, almost making him nervous._

_"Hey Sparky?"___

_"Yeah?"___

_With a small smile on her face, she placed her head on his shoulder. "There's not a thing I would change either."_

_Chuckling softly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm glad."_

_-End Flashback-_

The phone ringing loudly broke him out of his memories. When he finally reached the phone, he pushed the talk button and placed it by his ear. "Hello?"

"Van, it's Robin. I just saw her pull into the garage."

"Alright. I'll be right there."

"Don't forget your g-"

"It's already in the car. Ja."

"Ja ne."

Hitting the end button, Van placed his cell into his pocket, reached for his jacket and keys before walking out of the apartment. Taking a deep breath, he headed for the elevator, silently praying all would go well. 'Oh Hitomi. I was right back then. In reality, there's not a thing I would change about you. You're perfect just the way you are. I just hope I'm not too late.'  
----------------------------

The sky was dark at this time of night, the only light given was from the full moon up above. Stars twinkled up in the sky, looking down on the apartment building that held a particular person. As she dropped her things at the door, Hitomi walked into her bedroom to change into something more comfortable. Coming out in her baggy short t-shirt and gray khaki cotton pants, she walked over to the freezer, letting her emerald eyes pick through the numerous amounts of ice cream cartons. Finally choosing one, Hitomi picked up a spoon and walked over to plop on the couch, ready to watch some TV to drown out her sorrows.

Before she could, however, there was a tapping on her window, causing her to raise one eyebrow while having a spoonful of chocolate chip cookie dough stuck in her mouth. Putting the carton on the coffee table, she walked over and opened it to hear the strangest of sounds. Looking below her, emerald eyes took in the sight of a certain maroon eyed man, playing an acoustic guitar with three shadowing figures behind him, holding saxophones. He was dressed in his favorite red shirt with tan pants and brown boot like shoes.

Van watched as she walked out onto the fire escape, confusion written all over her face. That was when he began to play what he had practiced all that week. Gaddes, his cousin Wolfwood and his friend dubbed 'Horn Freak' came out of the shadows to play their parts on the tenor saxophones. When his part came, Van started to sing the words he had memorized, looking directly at Hitomi the entire time.

"Yeah hey… Oh oh oh…  
The strands in your eyes  
that color them wonderful  
Stop me and steal my breath  
And emeralds from mountains  
thrust towards the sky  
Never revealing their depth"

Van looked directly into her eyes while singing this next line.

"And tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache  
that hang from above

"And I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

"And rain falls angry on the tin roof  
As we lie awake in my bed  
And you're my survival, you're my living proof  
My love is alive and not dead"

Once again, his eyes bore into hers, trying to tell her what was in his heart.

"And tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache  
that hang from above

"And I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life"

All three saxophones came in for a pleasant sounding harmony for this next verse.

"And I've dropped out, I burned up,  
I fought my way back from the dead  
Tuned in, turned on,  
Remembered the thing that you, you said

"I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your…

"I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

"The greatest fan of your life  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah  
Greatest fan of your life."

As Van released the last chord, he gazed hopefully at the woman above him, who held his life in her hands at that very moment. While holding his breath, he watched as Hitomi leaned off the fire escape rail, shook her head and turned to walk back inside.

Panicking ever so slightly, Van handed his guitar to Folken while he ran across the street to stand right below her. "Hitomi! Please talk to me. I'm sorry."

His words fell on deaf ears as she lowered her head and raised one leg to enter her apartment, her back towards him. Lowering his head, Van tried hard to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. He was too late. He had lost her for good.

The group of people behind him looked on with sadness, seeing their friend's heart be shattered into a million pieces. Robin placed her head on her husband's chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Danielle shook her head and held back tears as Gaddes placed a hand on her shoulder. Folken just sighed and watched his little brother in so much pain, knowing there was nothing else he could do. They had all come together to give some support to him, trying so hard to help him reach her, but Hitomi had been hurt too badly for anything to be done. Wolfwood shook his head, bent down and picked up his black cat (Trigun kitty) before turning to leave, 'Horn Freak' following. They were outsiders in this thing so there wasn't much they could do. None of them could imagine what Van was feeling at the moment.

'I'm such an idiot. I let the one person I care about more than anything get hurt by my stupid ambitions. Why did I ever agree to this? Why couldn't I have been happy with how we were before? Why did I have to go and screw everything up?' So wrapped up in his thoughts that Van blindly let his feet take back over to where his friends were as Hitomi was about to lower the glass, separating her from him. He didn't notice the bright lights rapidly coming his way, nor did he hear the horn blast loudly. His friends' cries were not heard as sharp pain suddenly went through his entire body. He felt himself flying in the air before falling hard onto the road below him, feeling the pain increase as a sticky liquid came in contact with his head. The only thing he heard as his vision was going was Hitomi's terrified voice, calling out his name. 'Hitomi?' Then, his world went black.

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--WOW! This chapter took me forever to write! But, I got it done by my deadline! Be proud. I know you all hate me for the torture I'm putting poor Van through. Sorry. Just wait until the next chapter…

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I love getting them and reading what you have to say. In other news, the Elimination contest is almost over. It's down to me and one other fanfic, which I love to death! The winners will be posted on the 31st, so go to the link on my profile and vote for your favorite. Thank you all for getting me into the final round. It means the world to me.

Oh! Before I forget, the first song was _"The Way I Feel"_ by 12 Stones and the last one was _"I'll Be"_ by Edwin McCain, the acoustic version. I suggest you all download those songs because they're awesome. gives you all cookies Ja ne!!!!--


	12. Take Me Away

--I apologize for the extremely long wait, but situations have gotten the better of me, including work and now college. Sorry.

Now, contrary to what the massive amount of reviewers think, this is not the last chapter. It's different than the other chapters, most definitely, but I hope you enjoy it.--  
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**_Chapter Eleven: Take Me Away_**

The area around him felt soft, the air so light. Confused, the raven haired male struggled to open his maroon eyes, blinking back the heaviness they felt. Blue surrounded him, causing him to force himself to sit up. Looking around, Van saw a familiar sight he had not seen in a long time. The grass below him was swaying slightly from the breeze that blew, pushing his black hair back as well. He didn't have to turn around to know there was a large old tree behind him, protecting him from the sun's harmful UV rays.

Beside him, he heard a slight noise, causing him to look in that direction to be met with beautiful, innocent emerald eyes. The woman smiled as she rolled her eyes at him. "Jeez, Sparky. Tired much?"

Before he could answer, an extremely familiar voice spoke first. "Sorry, Tomi. Not all of us can handle a whole night out with the entire grade and then out on one of your adventures after only three hours of sleep."

"Not my fault you were too stupid to try and sleep on the bus a bit. Always said I was smarter than you."

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Van stood up and backed away to see not only his angel, but himself as well, only younger. Shaking his head, he took a few steps back. 'How is this possible?'

Feeling a small amount of weight on his shoulder, Van turn around to see a sight he never thought he'd see again. Eyes wide in shock, he looked up to peer into the face of a man with a mustache and beard, dark maroon eyes and raven hair. He had a soft look on his features, as if there to comfort Van.

With a small smile, the man looked into the slightly shorter male's eyes. "This is very possible, Van. What you are seeing are very important moments in your life, your memories. These are not things happening now, but a reflection of what is important from your past. I'm here to help guide you as I tried to do from afar. I'm sorry I could not be there for you, son."

"F-Father?" Van's mind was definitely hurting at this moment, contemplating how this could be possible. Last he checked, his father had died and was buried in the cemetery. At that exact moment, the clear blue sky changed into a gray one as rain began pouring down heavily. Looking around him, Van saw a bunch of people in black around a coffin as it was lowered into the ground. A woman with long black hair pulled three children into her as she cried, her tears mixing into the rain.

Van remembered this scene all too well. It was one of the hardest days of his life, the day they buried his father. Turning his eyes away, Van tried his hardest to tune out his mother's cries as Folken attempted to comfort Merle. It must have been so hard for her, seeing her parents die only a year before and then this. Didn't she suffer enough?

"Merle has suffered great loss in her life, but the one I was most concerned about was you, Van. You were the one that always wanted to play with your old man. We did have a strong bond, which I was grateful for. I remember one time when you wanted to try out for the baseball team."

A small smile broke onto his face as Van recovered the memory. Looking up, he witnesses a boy and his father, throwing the ball around while laughing. They had been so happy and carefree back then. This was the day before the big try outs and he had begged his father to take the day off to train him. With a smile and a nod, Goau had agreed, claiming he needed to get his pitching arm back in shape. They stayed out all day, even went into the night. Even if he tried, Van would not be able to remember if he made the team or not. All that really mattered was the fact he was with his father.

Lowering his head, Van smiled a bit. "I was so little then. Was it second grade?"

Nodding his head, his father spoke. "Folken was looking forward to graduating and going off to Palas University. I found it rather ironic you wanted to go there too."

Van smiled and shrugged. "I remembered what it looked like, so I thought 'why not?' If Folken could get in, I sure as hell could too."

A nice full laugh came from the tall man, a laugh Van had forgotten. It was nice to hear him again, but there was something that just wasn't right. It was as if he had a questioning the back of his mind, but couldn't focus on it.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Van looked at Goau, as if trying to connect with him again. Without looking at him, his father spoke. "Van, tell me about the time you joined a gang."

Sadness took over him as the scenes changed, showing a young Van standing beside not that friendly looking guys. Then again, he didn't look to pleasant himself, with his all black ripped up clothing. He couldn't bring himself to watch the scene as they mugged a poor old man before throwing him on the sidewalk. Van shook his head, eyes focused on the ground. "I was so angry about what happened to you. I didn't know how to get it out. Mom was still grieving while trying to work, Folken was slowly taking your place at the company and Merle had her own problems to deal with. There wasn't really anyone around to help me. The gang was my outlet, my new family. I didn't realize the full impact of my actions until the day I saw Merle with them.

Looking up slightly, he saw a younger, angrier him coming out from an alleyway, looking over to where his "brothers" were teaching a lesson to their new victim. The younger self smirked and ran over to them. "Hey guys. Who do we have this time?"

The tallest smirked as well. "Some little kid, claiming she doesn't have her lunch money today."

"Well then, might as well get some punches in myself." As the boy pushed the others away, his eyes widened as he recognized the female. "M-Merle?"

The terrified and badly beat up girl tried to focus her big blue eyes on the familiar voice. Those eyes went wide when she saw what he was wearing, putting two and two together. "Van? W-what…?"

The young man closed his eyes and moved to stand in front of her. Opening his eyes, the maroon color took a more blood red color as he looked at his "brothers". "This one is under my protection. No more harm shall come to her. Understood?"

The tall one he spoke to before stepped forward, an angry look on his face. "And what are you gonna do about it, Fanel? Remember who gives the orders around here. This kid is fair game, regardless if she's your girlfriend or whatever."

His anger was rising, causing him to reach out and punch the man speaking right in the nose, possibly breaking it. That man was caught by some of the other men, apparently very angry. "You just made a big mistake, Fanel. Boys! Get 'em. Show him what we do to traitors."

While the gang was tying to form a circle around them, younger Van pushed Merle out of the way. "Get out of here as fast as you can."

"But Van…"

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

The girl didn't waste time as she went as fast as she could down the street, leaving Van to face off the entire gang.

Shaking his head, the present day Van looked away. "I don't want to see this memory again."

Goau nodded as the memory dissipated. Sighing, the taller man looked ahead of him. "That was a very brave thing you did, to stand up from Merle and fight them all. If Folken had been just a few streets down, you might not have made it to the hospital in time. Your mother cried a lot when she found out the whole story, but in the end she was just glad you were alright. I don't know if she would have made it if you had died."

Nodding his head a bit, Van looked at his father once again. "After a week or two in the hospital, they told me I could go home. The gang never bothered with me again, but my reputation still stuck, especially since I survived. I wanted a clean slate so I did my best to appear approachable. It didn't occur to me that would be one of the toughest things in my life, turning everything around. For awhile there, I felt like giving up, thinking it was just too hard."

A smile crossed Goau's lips. "But when you began thinking about that, she came into your life."

Turning his gaze to the memory playing before him, Van watched in amazement as a younger him confronted a brave emerald eyed female. She didn't seem afraid of him during his rant at all. "Calm down there Sparky. I wasn't doing anything. I saw this girl here getting beat up so I came over to stop it. Then you come over here to attack me?"

"Ha! I don't believe that for a second. You were standing over her!"

"To see if she was alright, you macadamia nut!"

A small laugh escaped his lips as a very familiar scene played out before him. "Yes, then she came into my life and nothing was ever the same. It was as if she was my lifeline, the one thing that could keep me on track. I fully became that person I wanted to be, all for her. Why didn't I realize that back then?"

The older male smiled. "Because you had never been in love before. It can seek up on a guy, believe that. I didn't realize I loved your mother until almost too late. She was about to marry someone else before I told her how I felt. Seems as if we both have bad luck with timing." Chuckling a little, he continued. "I must say, she's a regular spitfire, with that sarcasm and all. Seemed to be your match. Oh, and nice nickname."

Laughing a bit, Van nodded. "Yeah. That's Hitomi for you. It's too bad you couldn't have met her in person. You would have loved her."

"I already do, Van. We may not have met face to face, but if she has captured my son's heart, then I love her as if she were apart of our family."

The images changed around them as a younger Van opened the front door, showing a very nervous Hitomi standing on his steps. The boy smiled. "Come on in. I didn't think you were gonna show."

"It was tempting, but I figured you'd hound me for the rest of my life if I didn't come." The girl walked inside the house and looked around, unsure of her surroundings.

That smile grew on the raven haired boy's face. "I promise my family doesn't bite. They just wanted to meet you, that's all."

"Merle knows me. Isn't that enough?"

"True, but my mother and older brother don't. So, they wanted to meet you. Why? Is the big bad Kanzaki afraid?"

A glare was thrown his way. "Very funny, Sparky. If I didn't know witnesses were in ear shot, I'd beat you for that comment."

At that moment, a tall woman with kind eyes and long raven hair came into the room, wearing a lovely white tank top and a soft green skirt that came down to her knees. Her smile was warm and inviting. "Van, is this your friend you were telling us about?"

"Yes. Mom, this is Hitomi Kanzaki. Hitomi, I'd like you to meet my mother."

The emerald eyed girl extended her hand in a proper greeting. "It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Fanel."

Varie just smiled. "The honor is mine, Hitomi. And please, call me Varie. It's nice to finally meet the girl my son has been talking non-stop about."

A small blush formed on the teenage Van's face while Hitomi looked surprised, annoyed and slightly amused. "Oh really? I can assure you they're all lies, whatever he's said."

Mrs. Fanel gave a small laugh at her comment while Van cleared his throat. "Well, shall we get to that dinner you prepared, mom?"

With a slight nod of her head, Varie lead Hitomi into the dinning room where a modest, but fairly large meal sat waiting. Not only that, but Merle and a tall man with silver hair sat waiting as well. "Hitomi, this is my older brother Folken. Folken, this is Hitomi Kanzaki."

The man labeled Folken stood up and walked over to her, raising his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Hitomi."

A soft blush grazed her face as she raised her hand to shake his. "The pleasure's all mine. And please, just Hitomi will do. No need to be formal."

Folken smiled as he nodded, showing everyone he approved of this girl. The young Van let out a sigh and showed Hitomi to her seat.

Smiling at the memory, the present day Van looked on as he spoke. "That was the first time she met the family. Right away, they loved her and treated her as a member, as if she was one all along."

"Perhaps it is because ever since you met her, you have been a different person, my son." Goau took a step forward, looking deeply into his son's memories. "The anger and hatred that consumed your heart melted away when she came into your life. It was as if she were made just for you."

A sigh was heard, causing the father to turn and look at Van, who had his head down. His bangs covered his eyes as he whispered, "but I screwed up."

Sadness overtook his father's features. "Tell me about what happened that night your junior year of college."

As if sensing what he was talking about, the scene around them changed to a very white hospital just as a very worried and panicked Van raced in. "Please, where can I find Hitomi Kanzaki's room?"

That familiar nurse looked up at him. "Are you a relative?"

"You could say that."

"Only relatives can see her."

A soft voice broke through right before Van let loose on her. "Nurse, this boy is my daughter's best friend and is considered part of our family." Both turned to see a weakened Mrs. Kanzaki trying hard to seem as if she meant business. The nurse only nodded and Van followed Maaya to her daughter's room. "She's in critical condition. They only brought her out of the ER a half hour ago. My poor little girl…"

When he entered the room, Van's heart shattered into tiny pieces as he saw Hitomi's bruised and broken body laying there. Slowly, he made his way to her side and gently took her small hand in his. It was cold to the touch, making Van shiver slightly. He continued to stare at her, not really believing this had happened.

Van sat by Hitomi's side, not moving an inch. "Oh Hitomi. Why did you go back to that place?"

A soft hand was placed on his shoulder as a sniff was heard behind him. "She's in a coma, Van. They think she'll come out of it in a few days though, but it all depends on this night. If she flat lines more then once, then…"

Van looked up at the woman and took her hand. "Don't think that. Hitomi's strong. I know she'll make it. I just know it."

Nodding, Maaya left the room to get some coffee, and to clear her head. Van would not leave Hitomi's side. "Come on Hitomi. You are strong. You have to wake up as soon as possible. You can't leave me like this. You can't leave me alone."

The scene flashed forward to when Hitomi flat lined, causing him to sit up and protect Maaya from witnessing what was being done to her daughter. When the doctor came out again, both ran back into the room. As the two sat by the girl's side most of the day, Van finally looked at his watch. "When is Kenji supposed to be back?"

Mrs. Kanzaki shifted in her seat as the thought came into her head. "Around seven tonight. Why?"

"It's 6:45 now." Seeing her sigh, he spoke up again. "Would you like me to go pick him up?"

Shaking her head, Maaya stood up and stretched. "I should be the one to tell him what's going on. Besides, if I know you, you'll be right here when I return with him. Let me know if anything changes."

With a nod of his head, the college junior agreed. "Why don't you get a good night's sleep? Hitomi wouldn't like it if you lost sleep over her."

The older woman smiled. "You know my daughter very well. Are you sure?"

"Positive."

With a sigh, Maaya nodded. "Alright, as long as you try to sleep too."

"Yes ma'am."

After giving him a quick hug, Mrs. Kanzaki left the room, leaving her daughter in Van's care. The boy looked back at his best friend, fear written all over him. Taking her hand in his, the young Van took a deep breath. "Don't make me out to be a liar, 'Tomi. I told your mom you were strong enough to make it. Hitomi, you can't leave us. You… you just can't leave me like this. I… I can't make it without you, 'Tomi. You're the one that's kept me hanging on, going through everything because you were there when I needed you. Please, come back to me. You still have so much left to do. We were supposed to graduate together, get great jobs and grow old with each other, staying best friends forever. If you're gone, what am I supposed to do? Who's gonna smack me when I do something stupid? Who's going to shoot sarcasm at me when I least expect it? Who's going to be the one to stand at my side forever? Hitomi, please… come back to me."

In the background, the older Van watched the scene unfold with his father, who had placed a hand on his shoulder. Goau took a moment before he spoke. "You were the first person she saw when she awoke, weren't you?" A slight nod was what he received. "How did that make you feel?"

There was a moment of silence before Van spoke. "I felt so relieved, so happy she was alive. I was so scared that I was going to lose her. Then, when I saw her beautiful emerald eyes focus on me and her lips form a smile, I felt as if I had been given the world."

"Hey there, Sparky. Not getting all sentimental on me, are you?" Both men turned back at the scene in front of them to see the broken Hitomi smiling at the younger Van. The man's expression showed great joy as he took her into his arms.

"Hitomi! Oh Kami. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

The girl's eyes were wide, but slowly closed as she accepted his embrace. "Gomenne."

When he let go of her, young Van searched deep into her eyes. "What happened?"

Sighing, the girl shook her head. "Not now. I feel like a piñata."

"Can't be. I didn't get any candy."

"I'd hit you if I had the energy."

Smiling lightly, the boy settled himself back in his chair and simply spoke with her as Goau smiled softly. "It seems to me you had already felt what your life would be like without her. Now, are you ready to look back at the current problem?" Van looked at his father sharply, almost afraid of seeing this scene once again. "Son, you have to face it sooner or later."

With a sigh, he nodded, letting the current image fade into the banquet hall. It came into focus as a really loud smack was heard. The hurt and betrayed look in her eyes shattered his heart for the second time as he saw the anger in her eyes. He didn't blame her in the least.

Seeing her eyes begin to water tugged at his heart strings, almost forcing him to look away. The him of about two weeks ago went after her. "Hitomi! Wait! Let me explain-"

The girl whirled around and glared at man. "Explain? What is there to explain? You wanted a better job, a big score, so you lied to me and used me for your own benefits! You pimped me out for a job!"

"That's not it! Please, just listen to me."

"No! I've had enough! I trusted you for years, Van Fanel. I have never felt more betrayed in my life! I never, ever want to see you again." With that, Hitomi ran for the door, not taking the time to look back at him.

Shaking his head, Van looked away. "I don't want to see this anymore, father."

"I'm sorry to say there's one more part that needs to be seen. Right before she enters the cab."

As if on cue, Van squeezed his eyes shut as the cab scene played out for Goau.

"Damn you, Van Fanel. How could you? How could you do that to me? Not only did you change everything about me, but you betrayed and lied to me!"

"It's not like that. Besides, I thought you liked this new change. You did say-"

"I didn't change for him! I changed for you! Everything I've ever done since you put this ring on my finger has been because or for you! I never wanted to do this, but because you asked me to, I did. How could you not see that?" Goau watched as Hitomi took a step back towards the cab. As Hitomi looked at his son with great sadness and hurt in her eyes, she asked her final question. "Did you even see me at all?"

Van was obviously too shocked to answer, which was not good since Hitomi took his silence hard, turning her gaze to the ground. The head of the Fanel family watched as she slowly slipped the Celtic ring Van had given her so long ago off her finger and threw it at his feet. "Good bye, Mr. Fanel."

The image faded away as the current Van turned his gaze to his father. "Satisfied?"

Shaking his head, Goau kept his eyes ahead of him. "I thought we taught you better than that, Van."

"Mother said the same thing."

"I'm not surprised. Did I ever tell you how I got your mother away from that other man she was supposed to marry?" After Van shook his head no, the older man continued. "I had known her for a long time, but didn't realize I loved her until she asked me a very important question. She asked, as her best, if I would walk her down the aisle and give her away. I told her no, saying I couldn't give her away to another man that wasn't me. It was then that I told her I loved her and we shared our first kiss. She, at first, pushed me away, saying I was too late. I couldn't enter the church after that, opting to sit on the steps outside. Next thing I knew, the doors swung open and there she was, running into my arms. She was about to say 'I do' to the other man when she decided on true love, on us, instead of infatuation. That was one of the happiest days of my life."

When Van shot him a confused and shocked look, Goau continued. "Moral of the story, never give up. You never know what will come at the last minute."

"But it's too late."

"It's never too late. You can't speak for other people's emotions, no matter how long you've known them."

With a sigh of frustration, Van walked away from his father. "You don't understand! Hitomi is not the type of person to forgive easily. Once betrayed, it's nearly impossible to get her to even talk with you, let alone forgive you. Hitomi had a hard time trusting people before. I was one of the firsts in a very long time and what do I turn around and do? Betray her."

A small smile formed on his father's face. "Improbable, yes. Impossible, no. Haven't we taught you nothing is impossible if you put your whole heart into it? Fight for her. You must fight like you have never fought before. It won't be easy and it probably won't come right away, but eventually things will work out as they were destined to."

That caused the young raven haired man to pause. "What if we aren't meant to be?"

"That's something you need to find out yourself."

As the scene around them changed into a fog, Van felt something tugging in the back of his mind, some question he had to ask. "Father, how is it possible for us to be talking like this?"

The smile that once graced the man's face disappeared almost immediately, causing Van to become concerned. "What's the last thing you remember, son?"

Taking on a look of complete concentration, the raven haired boy thought back to his last memory. "I was singing. I had the guitar in my hand and was singing up to Hitomi's balcony. I remember watching her eyes, seeing the hurt still there. It was as if she wanted to believe me, but couldn't. She… she shook her head and went inside her apartment. That's it."

When his eyes rested on the taller male, Goau's face was very serious. "Do you not remember what came after that?"

A shake of Van's head was the man's answer.

Without a word, Goau raised his hand in the direction of the fog, causing it to stir as colors blended together to form a picture. Van was in this picture, looking defeated as he crossed the street, away from Hitomi's apartment building. Bright lights suddenly came his way, not to his knowledge. Current Van watched as Danielle cried out to him right before his body came in contact with the car hood, sending his body flying into the air.

Van watched the scene in shock. "I… I was hit by a car?"

_The car sped away even before the body hit the cement ground. It bounced a few times before coming to a stop a few feet away from its original location. All persons surrounding the area reacted, running over to the body as one dialed 911 on their cell. _

_"VAN!!!" All heads turned to the emerald eyed female who was immediately at his side. Hitomi was frantic as she sunk to her knees. "Oh Kami. Van! Van, please open your eyes! Van!"_

_"The ambulance is on its way. Who was that jackass driving the car?"_

_"I think I saw blond hair."_

_The sandy brunette was now cradling the boy's head in her arms as tears were running down her face. "Van, you can't leave like this. Not like this. Hang in there. Just hang on."_

Van looked over at his father during this. "Is… is that what happened?"

Without a word, the scene played on…

_The ambulance soon arrived later, running over with a stretcher. "What happened?"_

_Gaddess was the one who spoke. "He was crossing the street when a car came out of no where and hit him."_

_"Name and age?"_

_"Van… Van Fanel." All eyes turned to the woman holding onto the bloody man. "He's twenty six years old."_

_Nodding their heads, the paramedics went to work trying to care for the body, Folken having to drag Hitomi away. "Looks like he hit his head pretty bad. Possible for some brain damage."_

_"Oh Kami. Please tell me Van's going to be okay." Hitomi tried so desperately to get some answers from the paramedics, but they ignored her remarks, more concerned about getting him to the hospital as quickly as they could._

_"We're taking him to Samurai General. You can all meet us there." That being said, the men took Van's body to the waiting ambulance. Before they could shut the doors, a familiar female voice spoke. "I want to go with you."_

_The men both shook their heads as they closed the doors. "No room, ma'am. It'll be safer for him if you were brought over by someone else." With that, the ambulance took off, sirens blasting as they raced against time itself._

Van watched on as the gang all ran to their cars, Folken taking the panicked Hitomi with him. "This can't be happening. Not like this…"

_The car was silent as Folken sped after the large white vehicle. Hitomi only looked straight ahead of her. "It's my fault, isn't it Folken?"_

_Still looking at the road, the man responded. "What makes you think that? You should know by now my brother has no common sense."_

_"But I turned him away."_

_A sigh came from Folken. "Listen Hitomi. After all he put you through, I'm not sure if you can ever forget that, the kind of betrayal he committed. The real question is, can you forgive? I know it's hard, since he only recently figured out what you are to him. It's even harder, considering you've been in love with him since high school. You have to decide just how much you love him, see if it's enough to forgive."_

_The woman took a deep breath. "No matter what I think, it's probably too late now."_

_Folken looked over at her before bringing his attention back to the road. "My father used to tell me that it's never too late. You can't speak for other people's emotions, no matter how long you've known them. Knowing Van, he'd be thrilled just to know you're willing to speak to him again."_

_"And to think it only took a car accident for him to get that concept."_

_"Hey, that's the guy you're in love with. What does that say for you?"_

_A small smile graced her lips. "That I've been a fool, wasting my life loving someone who only saw a friend."_

'Oh Hitomi…'

_Before Folken could say anything, they came to the hospital. After parking the car, they both ran inside, the rest of the gang not too far behind. Running up to the main desk, emerald eyes peered into the face of a woman soon entering her elder years._

"That's the same nurse I talked to when Hitomi was in the hospital."

Goau looked at his son. "We don't really have a great history with cars, do we?"

Van simply shrugged as the scene continued.

_"Please, where can we find Van Fanel's room?"_

_The woman looked over at the sandy brunette, taking her in. "You a relative?"_

_Folken stepped forward. "I'm his brother and this is his… fiancée. How's he doing?"_

_Typing at the computer, the nursed looked up at them again. "He's still in surgery, but should be out soon. The doctor will come get you when it's safe for you to see him. For now, just sit in the waiting room down the hall a bit."_

_"Thank you, nurse." The pair walked off to the waiting room, doing as the name suggests. The night progressed in silence, some of the friends falling asleep on each other. Only two people stayed awake the entire time, a silver haired man leaning forward resting his chin on his hands, and an emerald eyed girl who constantly looked over at the door the doctor should have been coming from._

"Why is she staying there? I don't like seeing her this upset."

"Don't think you have much choice about that, son."

_A man in a white lab coat came out with dark blue hair and thin rimed glasses in front of blue eyes that seemed to trap you. "Mr. Fanel?"_

_Folken shot straight up and went over to the man, who was a few inches shorter. "How's my brother?"_

_"You brother has taken a massive amount of injuries, primarily to the head. Honestly, sir, it'll be a miracle if opens his eyes again. The next twenty-four hours are critical to his condition. I'm very sorry."_

_Nodding his head, Folken shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you, Dr…"_

_"Hiragizawa. Dr. Hiragizawa."_

_The emerald eyed girl's head snapped up quickly. "Hiragizawa? Eriol Hiragizawa?"_

_The doctor raised one eyebrow as he looked at where the voice had come from. He watched as the sandy brunette walked up beside Folken. "Hitomi Kanzaki? What are you doing here?"_

_The tall silver haired man looked back and forth between the two. "You know each other?"_

_Hitomi nodded. "We went to college together."_

_Eriol still had his eyes wide. "I didn't expect to see you again."_

_"Now's not the time to be talking about this. How's Van?"_

_Raising one eyebrow, the doctor looked at her. "You're with him?"_

_"You could say that…"_

_After a brief moment, the doctor sighed. "He's in intensive care at the moment. Technically speaking, only family members are allowed to see him." Seeing her pleading eyes, the male sighed again. "If anyone asks, you're his fiancée. Got it?"_

_"Arigatou Eriol."_

_Nodding his head, the doctor led the pair to the room where the raven haired man laid. The woman's jaw practically fell to the ground as she saw Van hooked up to numerous machines while his head was wrapped up in bandages. His body was also covered in bruises from the fall. "Oh Kami. Van…" Immediately, she ran to his side, taking his hand in hers. "Oh Van, I'm so sorry."_

_Feeling the chair behind her, thanks to Folken, Hitomi sat herself right by his side, refusing to move. She looked over his bruised body, tears beginning to fall from her glassy eyes. The elder Fanel placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down slightly. "I have a feeling you'll be staying here with him the entire time. I'll go tell the others to go get some sleep and we'll update them in the morning. I should also make some phone calls. You going to be okay by yourself?"_

_A gentle nod was all he received as he headed out of the room, obviously unable to handle the condition his brother was currently in. _

_"Kami. Why do you have to be such a baka? If you weren't such an idiot, none of this would have ever happened. Why are you doing this to me? Haven't you done enough? I may be angry with you, but I'd never want you dead." The tears were falling rapidly at this point. " Van, you have to come back. Who's going to be there for me when I need someone? I… I can't promise to forget, but I can try to forgive. You know that in itself is a big thing. You had about another ten years worth of hatred aimed at you."_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi continued. "Why didn't you look both ways like always? Couldn't you hear the damn car? Van, please. I still need you. You're the only one that truly understands me. There's no one that could ever take your place in my life, nor my heart. Please, just come back to me. Please Van. Just come back to me."_

Van looked on, tears just about coming to his eyes. Even after all he had done, she still cared for him, maybe even loved him. "I've been such a fool. All this time I've had what I've always wanted right in front of me and I blew it." Looking at his father, he asked the most terrifying question in his mind. "Am I dead?"

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep_

_Hitomi's head snapped up as she looked at the heart monitor machine, which was going haywire. Jumping up, she ran to the door. "Nurse! We need a doctor in here! Someone, please!! Help!!"_

_A few moments later, Eriol along with a few nurses ran into the room out of nowhere. "He's crashing. Hitomi, get out of here, now! Nurse, hand me the paddles."_

_"Yes doctor."_

_Eriol looked up when he received the paddles. "Hitomi, now!"_

_The girl slowly backed her way out of the room, speaking softly. "Van… Van…"_

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep

Van looked at his father in panic as everything was whirling around them. "Is this it? Is this how it all ends??"

Goau did not answer his question. "Van, it's time to go."

Backing away, the shorter raven haired man shook his head. "No… no! I want to live! I want Hitomi to forgive me and we live our lives as we were supposed to. I want to make everything right again!"

"Van…"

_"Van!"_

The boy shook his head. "NO!!"

"Van! We have to go now!" Goau grabbed his son, trying to take him.

"NO!!"

_"Nurse, up the juice! We're losing him. Clear!"_

"I don't want to go!"

"Van!"

_"Van!!"_

The boy looked at the scene again as a great force started to pull, him unable to resist anymore. "NO!!!!"

_"**VAN!!!!!**"_

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

And with that, he was gone…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
--Wow… Now that's a great cliffhanger. Remember, killing the author is not good, considering THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!!! -evil grin- Again, sorry for the almost three month wait, but I hope it was worth it. Granted, it's not as long as the other chapters, but I hope it still has a great impact. Any questions, leave a review or my email address is in my profile, which you all should be checking now and then for new messages from me.

Btw, the last chapter I mentioned about the Elimination contest. Well, I WON!!! Thank you to all of those that voted for me and made me number one in that area.

Now remember, I'm in college again, so the next chapter might take awhile. Gomen. Ja ne!!!--


	13. Where Do We Go After

--I've been working very hard to figure out SOMETHING to write, considering I've been blocked and oh so very busy lately. A weird thanks to those who reviewed and have emailed me, though that was a bit creepy. As I said, the chapter comes when it comes. And here it is.--

* * *

_**Chapter Twelve: Where Do We Go After**_

White. All around him was white. So much white, it was sickening. It looked like the inside of a hard white marshmallow. Groaning, Van closed his eyes and spoke hoarsely. "So much friggin white. I must be in hell."

A soft groan came from the left, causing him to open his eyes once again. "Has to be hell if you're still bothering me." Something stirred as Van saw a sandy brunette head on his bed. "Wait…" The head of hair shot up as emerald eyes bore into his maroon orbs, a look of relief and surprise within them. "Oh Kami! You're awake!"

A small smirk appeared on his face as an old joke slipped from his chapped lips. "Thank you, Captain Obvious." His whole body was in pain when he shifted slightly in the bed, making him wonder. "What happened?"

Hitomi lowered her head a bit as her voice became serious. "You were hit by a car."

"Feels like it. How long was I out?"

The girl stood up from her chair to stretch out all the kinks in her body. "Well, you've been in a coma for about four months now. You're mom will be back in five minutes." (A/N: Don't give me that look! It works!)

His eyes went wide as he took in what she had said. "Four months?!?"

"Good to know your ears still work." At this point, Hitomi was standing by the window, gazing out of it instead of looking at him. She seemed so distant, so lost in thought. What he wouldn't give to know what she was thinking at that exact moment…

A question jumped off his lips before he could rethink it. "Have you been here all this time?"

A sort of snort laugh came from her, though she never turned to face him. "Don't flatter yourself, Fanel. Last I'd checked, I had a life that doesn't revolve around you. I came because your mom needed a bit of rest and asked me to sit with you. That's all."

The anger and coldness in her voice startled him greatly. "Hitomi…"

"Why?" Her voice was soft, a defeated whisper, but he heard her. "Why did you have to be so stupid? Didn't you see that car? You almost… you could have…" The girl paused slightly before she spoke again. "Why did you…"

Before Van could say anything, Hitomi brought a hand to her face as she turned and headed towards the door. "I'll tell the nurse you're awake. Your mom should be here soon."

A sense of panic and guilt overtook him as he cried out her name. "Hitomi! Please don't go."

She didn't even pause as she walked out the door, whispering a tiny "I'm sorry."

Van kept his gaze at the door even after she disappeared. Even after everything, Hitomi still could not forgive him. You'd think getting hit by a car and being in a coma for four months would gain him something.

His gaze went to the ceiling before closing his eyes, reflecting on all that happened. Four whole months he had lost when he should have been with her, loving her. Then again, he had already lost eleven years of being able to do that. Not too much time passed before Varie came into the room, breaking him from his thoughts as relief came from her voice. "Oh thank Kami. I was so worried."

Van's eyes opened as he smiled at his mother. "Sorry mom."

Taking large steps, she quickly came to his side and held his hand in her own. "I had at first thought Hitomi beat you into a coma, which wouldn't surprise me." Seeing her son's face grow sadder, she sighed. "She was very worried about you. Every single day, she was here, sitting in that chair unmoving. Usually, she spent the night here in that chair with her head resting on the bed. I'm surprised she left the room before I came." She paused a bit before continuing. "Why was she sitting outside the door crying?"

Lowering his head, the patient sighed. "She felt guilty, I think. She kept asking why, then left before I could respond. I never wanted to make her cry."

Caution was in her voice before asking, "So you still haven't told her?" A shake of his head was her answer. "Give her a little time after you tell her. It's something to think about, considering everything."

The man nodded, understanding what she meant. Hitomi didn't really hear that he loved her. That alone she would find skeptical. Why should she believe him anyway, considering what he had done? Would she ever trust him again?

Varie sighed and kissed her son's forehead. "Everything will be alright, regardless of her actions. You never know what will come at the last minute."

A soft smile formed on his lips. "Dad said that to me. He made me realize everything, just how blind I was."

Confusion found its way onto Mrs. Fanel's face, but it washed away quickly. "He always had a knack for that, especially for you children. He loved you all so much."

"He's still here, mom. He always will be watching over us, including you."

A soft smile formed on her face over his statement when a small knock was heard at the door. Standing there smiling was a man with a long white coat and sharp blue eyes behind nice glasses. He held a chart in his hand as he made his way over to the patient. "It's nice to know you're finally awake, Mr. Fanel. I'm your doctor, Eriol Hiragizawa. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck."

"Lucky you. It was only a car. Do you want the bad news or the good news first?"

Confused, Van looked at his mother who had turned her gaze away from him. "Give it to me straight, doc."

Taking a breath, Eriol began. "The good news is due to the fact you've been resting, most of your injuries have healed. You'll still have to use crutches for awhile, since your foot is not completely healed yet. The bad news is due to the massive head trauma you've sustained, you will be experiencing exceptionally painful headaches or migraines. I can't say how long they will last or when they will happen. You could have them for a month, a year, or for the rest of your life. The longest recorded migraine due to this type of injury was two days. This will physically cripple you until it passes. My main concern is that you don't get addicted to pain killers. It has happened."

The maroon eyed man sat in silence for a moment. Finally, his hoarse voice broke through the quiet atmosphere. "So my biggest health problem is bad headaches. Doesn't sound half as bad as what I have to do to get her to forgive me."

Smiling, the doctor consulted the chart in his hand. "Considering everything, including your positive outlook, I think you can be released in a few days, depending on how you do after some physical therapy. Glad to have you back, Mr. Fanel."

Raising his arm and extending his hand, the man in the bed smiled slightly. "Call me Van."

Taking his hand and shaking it, the blue eyed man smiled again. "Eriol." Once the greeting ended, the doctor cleared his throat. "If you excuse me, I have more patients to check up on. I'll be back later to answer any questions you may have." With a nod of his head, Eriol turned and left the room to two members of the Fanel family.

With a sigh, Van turned to his mother once again. "So, what's happened since I've been asleep?"

Biting her lower lip, Varie looked at her son, questioning whether to say anything or not. After a few moments of deciding, she spoke, "Merle apparently is dating someone, but she won't let me meet him until you're awake. She really values your opinion. Folken's girlfriend moved in with him just two weeks ago…"

"Wait! Folken has a girlfriend??"

"Van, he's been seeing her for over a year now. You've met her at your twenty-fifth birthday."

Confused, he thought for a moment. "I don't remember her."

Rolling her eyes, the mother informed him. "She was the one hanging around Folken the entire time. Her name's Naria, very nice girl. She has a sister named Eriya. I think she's a fencing coach or something. Anyway, Naria works at the paper, the advice columnist or something like that."

Again, Van was in deep thought. When did his brother do anything but work? Seeing his confused face, Varie sighed. "You were probably too busy with Hitomi to notice." Immediately, she regretted that statement as her son's expression grew sad. Thinking it over for a moment, she decided to tell him what she feared would destroy the boy. "There's something else, Van. I was talking with Maaya not too long ago, and she told me something I think you should know." When she had her son's attention, she took another deep breath and just let it out. "Hitomi sold her apartment. She's moving."

"What?" He immediately sat up and winced, as the pain his body felt was still there. "When? Why?"

"She didn't saw when, but I have a feeling it's soon. Do I even need to tell you why?"

Lowering his head, Van brought a hand to his face. "I really screwed up, didn't I?" No reply was given as the man sat there and let his thoughts consume him. Was this truly the end? It couldn't be, not after everything they've been through. There had to be something he could do to get through to her. "It can't end like this. It just can't." With swift movement, he grabbed the intercom button by his bed, paging the nurse. Before his mother could question him, the nurse came in. He did not give her a chance to speak either. "I need to see my doctor, now." With the tone of his voice, the nurse did not question as she ran out of the room in search of the doctor. Varie turned to him again as he spoke, "I need to get out now. There's no time to waste."

There was only silence when Eriol entered the room again. "What is it? Something wrong?"

Van, at this point, was already out of bed looking for the crutches he needed. "You can say that again. I only have so much time before the love of my life leaves for… for who knows how long. I have to find her and make everything alright again. I have to tell her I love her and that I always have without knowing it. I have to, before it's too late. I… I have to."

The doctor watched this with a bit of sorrow flowing through him. "I'm sorry, Van, but you're not ready to leave the hospital just yet."

Maroon eyes collided with blue orbs with desperation and seriousness. "I've wasted eleven years before I realized how I felt. It's not a matter if I'm physically ready, but whether I am emotionally. It doesn't matter if I'm ready or not. This is my last chance and I have to take it."

The doctor looked at the man before him, debating with himself. After another moment of silence, he sighed. "Tell you what. I'll give you twenty-four hours. You must be back in the hospital within that time frame, understand?"

A small smile grew on the raven haired man's face. "Arigatou, Eriol. You have my word." With a nod of the head, the blue haired man took out Van's IV and got him ready for the outside world.

* * *

Green leaves decorated the trees, showing that new life had begun in Gaia. Everywhere you turned, there was life happening, whether in the face of a small child walking with its mother or in a man walking by with his head up in the clouds. Life does not stop for a moment. It continues on until the end of time. Even then, something will go on.

At that moment, a man with dark raven hair was seen on the street, using crutches for support. His face held determination as he hobbled down the busy street. Only one thing was on his mind. He had to get to her, convince her to stay.

Her apartment was not that far away. If only he wasn't held back by his stupid foot. 'I wonder if they ever found the guy who hit me.' Shaking his head, Van silently pleaded that everyone would suddenly jump out of his way. Knowing that was impossible, he continued on, each stride making him more and more determined.

The door was not within reach. Panting slightly, he soon realized he would need to wait for someone to let him in. Knowing this could take awhile, his impatient side came forth as he pushed a random button on the intercom. With a slight crack, a female voice broke through. "Yes?"

Taking a deep breath, he began. "I'm sorry to bother you, Miss, but it is vitally important that I get into this building."

A moment passed before the mysterious woman replied, "Who is this?"

"My name is Van Fanel. Please, I beg you; let me into this building while I still have time."

A confused voice broke through. "Van Fanel??"

"Yes…"

"Wait there a moment. My buzzer's broken. I'll come down and let you in."

With a smile on his face, he answered, "Thank you very much!"

Leaning against the wall, Van waited for the mysterious female to open the first obstacle between him and his best friend. Finally, the door opened and a woman with red hair stood there, brown eyes wide as a smile grew on her face. "Van Fanel. It's been awhile."

Confused, the man looked her over. "Excuse me?"

A small laugh came from her lips. "I'm not surprised you don't remember me. Last time I saw you was the high school fundraiser." Holding out her hand, she continued to smile. "Lin Nagano. We were in high school together."

Taking her hand in his, Van began to think. Suddenly, it all clicked. "Wait, you mean…"

_-Flashback-_

"_Van!_ _You better come quick!"_

_The said boy looked up at the girl running towards him. "What's wrong, Lin?"_

_The little red head took a few breaths for she had been running around trying to find him. "It's Merle."_

_Van didn't think twice. "Where is she?"_

"_The quad."_

_With that, he sprinted off in that direction, hoping to get there in time._

_-End Flashback-_

"And then at the…"

_-Flashback-_

_The lights came up as a woman with vibrate red hair came onto the stage. "Thank you everyone. I hope you are enjoying our Salute to Broadway. It's simply amazing to see such talent hidden in our faculty. And a great warm thank you to Ms. Millerna Aston who came all the way from Broadway to perform tonight! I haven't heard 'If I Loved You' from the show 'Carousel' sung quite like that. Now, we're shifting the focus slightly to a production more recent than the other more tradition shows. The show is called 'Wicked' and the teacher heading this musical area is our choir director, Ms. Hitomi Kanzaki."_

_Applause was heard throughout the auditorium as the red head walked off and Hitomi walked on._

_-End Flashback-_

Blinking a few times, Van looked at the woman oddly as she just smiled. "You've been here the whole time. You were the one that helped me meet her."

"Hitomi?" Lin softened her smile as she continued to speak with him. "I'm surprised you remembered that."

Shaking his head, he embraced her, startling the woman a bit. "Thank you. If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened."

Pushing him back a bit, Lin focused her brown eyes on his maroon ones, the smile no longer on her face. "But you have to hurry, Van. She's leaving soon. You have to finish what you started. You have to make her understand how you feel."

"What do you…?"

"I was there, Van. I saw what happened." Seeing the confused look sent her way, she shrugged. "My cousin invited me to attend. I saw you two talking at one point with his fiancée. Millerna really is such a sweetheart."

Maroon eyes went wide as his jaw dropped open a bit. "You're Dryden Fassa's cousin??"

"Guilty. After Hitomi was introduced to someone, Allen left her and tried flirting with me. That man should be castrated."

_-Flashback-_

_Straining her head around all the massive amounts of people, Millerna pointed in one direction. "She's over there. Allen's introducing her to someone. Knowing him, he'll do that then leave her to flirt with someone else."_

_-End Flashback-_

Van gave her a suspicious look. "Just how long have you been involved?"

Sighing, Lin rolled her eyes at him. "Well let's see here. After graduation, I went to Fried College, just like Hitomi. I found out through my friend Haru that she was there. I think he had a crush on her or something. She also went out with my other friend Kenshin. Anyway, I graduated early and came back here to teach. Next thing I knew, Hitomi was teaching choir and I was principal. I saw you come meet her for lunch now and then, but thought it best not to say anything. Oh, and why did that asshole come get her? That stupid blond bastard. I threw him out first chance I got. Their little date was disgusting as well. It was like they followed me there or something. He was such an ass. Keep her thin figure in check? What the hell was that?"

_-Flashback-_

"_The waiter came and he ordered for me a nice tossed salad. He said it was to keep my thin figure in check."_

_-End Flashback-_

"Oh, when I saw him walk in one day, I had Hitomi go into her office while I told one of the kids to 'have fun' and that I would pardon them this one time. Wow, that was fun. Anyway, that's about it."

Van continued to just blink at her. "What, were you stalking us?"

"I just happen to be at the same places you two were." Dismissing his weird look, she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside without further damaging his foot. "How fast can you move with that thing?"

The man looked at her oddly. "I'm okay. Why?"

Lin looked at the stairs, then over to the elevator. "Guess we'll have to use the elevator. Come on then." Moving as quickly as he could with crutches, Van followed the red head to the magical vertically moving box and waited as it rose into the heavens. "I don't know when she's leaving, but all her stuff's in boxes and ready to go." Pausing for a moment, she turned and asked, "And why didn't you jump out of the way? The car honked its horn and everything!"

-Sweatdrop-

'She really has been everywhere, hasn't she?' Van sighed while waiting for the doors to open. Once they did, he hobbled over to Hitomi's door, preparing himself to knock. Lin smiled and turned to walk away. "You better hurry, Van. She's been out of a job since yesterday. Tell her how you feel. It might be the only way." Before he could turn to thank her, she was gone.

'That woman makes me nervous.' Raising his fist, he pounded on the door, still supporting himself with the wooden crutches. After waiting for a moment, the door opened slowly as familiar emerald eyes focused on him. "Van? What are you…"

"Don't do it, Hitomi."

Shaking her head in confusion, she asked, "Do what?"

"Don't leave."

Sighing, the sandy brunette leaned against the door frame, closing her eyes for a moment. "Why are you doing this?"

Van felt his entire body begin to panic as he spoke. "Did you really think I wouldn't say anything? Hitomi, you mean the world to me. There is no one else that I treasure more than you. Ever since high school, that has been the case, but I've been too blind to realize it. Please, don't leave the place you consider home because I was stupid. If anyone should leave, it's me. You have a life here, and I never wanted to take it all away from you. Hitomi, please don't leave. Don't leave me. I…"

Before he could finish, two delicate fingers covered his mouth, stopping all his words from surfacing. "Don't say it." With eyes hidden beneath her bangs, Hitomi continued. "Don't say it. I don't want to hear it. I have lived for eleven years, thinking you were someone special, someone unique. Eleven years I wasted on someone who didn't even truly see or understand me. If you did, you never would have taken so long to figure out at least how I once felt. If you are asking if you are the cause for my leaving, then, in a way, yes. I have to leave in order to find myself and to allow myself to move on, so I can be happy. Do not say anything that will make me lose my courage. I have to leave. Please do not make this even more difficult for me. If you cared at all for me in even the slightest bit, honor our once precious friendship and let me go." Slowly taking her fingers away, the woman did not even look up as she began closing the door. "It's too late now, Van. You're just too late." With that, the door closed as the metal chain slid into place, blocking Van Fanel with his once best friend and his one true love, his soul mate, Hitomi Kanzaki.

_-Flashback-_

_To his dismay and horror, Hitomi pulled away from him, out of his grasp. "Van, you're too late. I'm getting married. I've moved on, Van. I'm so sorry." Shaking her head at him, Hitomi picked up her bouquet and walked towards the door, away from him. As she was about to leave, he heard her whisper softly, "Why couldn't you have figured it out sooner?"_

_Van whirled around to face her. "Hitomi!" But it was too late. Hitomi had already walked out the door, out of his life and into the waiting arms of another man. The maroon eyed man sank to his knees and tried to force away the tears that threatened to fall. He had lost her, forever._

_-End Flashback-_

With a heavy heart, Van turned and wobbled away, not even bothering to wipe a stray tear away. Behind the closed door, however, an emerald eyed girl sank to the ground with her back against the door. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she rested her head on them before crying her eyes out. It wasn't until nightfall when the female fell asleep laying by the door, unable to move to the bed she had slept in for years.

* * *

The sun began to rise, brilliant reds and violets spreading across the dark sky. Parents were awakening to take their child from the pleasant dreams of anime viewing and candy. People rose and began getting ready to spend yet another day working. Somewhere in a tall white building with a large red cross was a man with maroon eyes, eyes that peered out to the outside world with great sadness. He sat by the large window unmoving, not listening to whatever his visitors advised him to do. Nothing mattered at that moment; all emotions except great sadness left him, leaving him a hollow shell of a man.

No one could move him from his perch at the window. Folken even took part of the day off to try to make his brother move with no such luck. Nothing could be done for the man, for to him, life had completely ended. In just a few hours, the woman his heart longed for would be gone, possibly never to return and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't even know where she was going. All he knew was that she was leaving her world behind, leaving because of what he had done to her. A single tear fell from his eye as his head lowered and rested on his knees, grieving for the loss of his other half, the love he never really knew.

Somewhere else, a male with sandy brown hair and deep green eyes walked out of a large apartment building carrying a medium sized box with some difficulty. Behind him, a much larger box with legs came up and kicked him. "Move it, squirt!"

The male looked back and glared. "Hey! It's not my fault you have so much crap."

The box walked around and put itself down in the big U-Haul trailer. Walking out was an emerald eyed female about the age of twenty-six. "Boy, you've been trying to haul that tiny box for the past half hour. By the time you got it from my apartment to the sidewalk, I practically finished packing up the trailer."

"Hey, it's not my fault you're freakishly strong!"

"Children! Knock it off before I knock it off for you." Both of them turned to watch an older woman walking out with a small box in her hands. Emerald eyes focused on the two younger people as she shook her head. "Honestly, you two act as if you're still in middle school."

"Hitomi started it!"

"Remember, I can still beat you so hard it'll make you cry."

"Mom!"

"Kenji. Hitomi. Don't make me come over there."

A sigh came from Hitomi as she looked at Maaya. "Is that the last box, mom?"

"Hai. You might want to head up and take another look, just in case."

With a nod, the female walked up the long flight of stairs and pushed open the door to her now empty apartment. Looking around, the place looked so lonely and depressing, reflecting exactly how she felt inside. The female walked around as memories flashed in her mind. All the late night movie sprees, the pillow fights, the relaxing moments when they just hung out on the couch. Why were all her memories surrounding… him? A tear ran down her face as she brushed it away with her hand. Could she never get away from him, never have a life without him somehow coming into her thoughts? When had he taken over her life, her mind? Shaking her head, she knew that happened the day she agreed to be his friend, and then when she realized she was in love with him.

_-Flashback-_

_When she got home that day, Hitomi walked up to her bedroom and flopped down on her bed, content with just staring at the silver ring on her pointer finger. Van had just given it to her today and she could not help but look at it all day during class. He had called it a friendship ring, but when he slipped it on her finger, something inside her changed. It was like a million butterflies began fluttering around. That ring felt more like a promise ring, as if he promised to always be there. Never had she had that kind of security outside her family. _

_Smiling, Hitomi turned on her back and held her hand up to the ceiling, looking over the intricate designs on the Celtic ring. It really was unique and beautiful. Van really was considerate and so nice. It was a wonder he even hung out with her. Eyes going wide, the girl sat up quickly as a blush formed on her face. No way. There was no way Hitomi Kanzaki had a crush on Van Fanel! There was just no way! As images of his face, especially his smile, flashed through her mind, Hitomi sighed and sank into her pillow. "No!" It was true. When did it start happening? It could have been at anytime, considering they were pretty much joined at the hip. _

_Maaya's_ _voice broke through her thoughts. "Hitomi! Van's here to see you!"_

_Sitting up, she took a deep breath before walking over to the door. "Get a grip, girl. It's just Van. We're just hanging out like we do everyday. It's okay, no big deal. Get a grip!"_

"_Do you always talk to yourself or is this a one time thing? Cause we can always stop by the mental institute."_

_A nervous smile appeared on her face as she saw the humor in his maroon eyes. "Oh I love that place. With the rubber walls and the white jackets that make you hug yourself, what's not to love?"_

_That smile on his face sent those annoying butterflies to flight in her stomach. With all her might, she suppressed the heat from forming on her face as she walked towards him. 'We're just friends. That's all. It's nothing to get excited about. Just friends.'_

"_And now you're dazing? Come on, Kanzaki. We're gonna miss the movie."_

_With a smile on her face, Hitomi grabbed her jacket and ran out the door. "Race ya."_

"_Cheater!" The raven haired male ran after his best friend while she smiled a secretive smile. 'I wonder how long it will take him to figure it out.'_

_-End Flashback-_

With a sigh, Hitomi wiped away another tear. "I lost eleven years here. I'm not going to waste anymore. This is the last tear I will shed for that time. Goodbye… Van…"

Nodding her head in determination, the emerald eyed female moved to leave when something caught her eye. In the corner was another small box not taped up or labeled. Curiosity got the better of her, causing the girl to go over and look at the mysterious box. "Mom said she got the last one." Reaching over, she pulled over the flap and instantly, she hitched in her breath. The box was filled with old pictures, pictures of her and him. Smiling at high school graduation, hang out after college graduation, all the times they had been together. Why? Why now? Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she closed the box, picked it up and walked out of the apartment, closing its door and to her life in Gaia.

When she walked out of the building, Kenji was the first to speak up. "I see you found another one. Hey!" Quickly, he ran to catch the box she threw at him. "What's the big idea?"

"Get rid of that for me, will ya?"

Confused, the younger male looked at his sister. "What is it?"

Without looking at her family, Hitomi walked toward her car. "Eleven years of lies."

The two other Kanzakis looked at each other and sighed. They didn't have to look to figure out what was in the box. Kenji took it to his car. "I'll take care of it, sis."

Opening the car door, Hitomi was stopped as her mother's hand was placed on her shoulder. "Are you sure about this, honey?"

A small smile was what Mrs. Kanzaki received. "This is what I need to do, to finally move on. Don't worry. I'll call you when I reach Basram."

"Now, who is it you're meeting?"

"Marlene, Millerna's older sister. I'll be living with them for awhile until I find a place of my own. She said I could repay her by watching her son, Chid, since her husband works a lot. He's about five years old."

Kenji smirked and a small chuckle escaped his lips. "I thought you hated little children."

With a smirk of her own, Hitomi looked at her kid brother. "I can tolerate them… for awhile. I'll deal with it."

"Sure you will."

"Shut up, you jack ass, and give your sister a hug before she leaves." Hitomi smiled as Kenji came over and engulf her in his arms. "I'll miss ya, kid"

"I could always kill him for you, that way you won't have to leave."

A smile graced her lips as she removed herself from her brother's arms. "Then I'd have to visit my baby brother in jail after he became someone's bitch."

He just smiled as their mother took her daughter in her arms. No words passed between them as they held each other close, not knowing when they will be this close again. As they separated, both smiled at each other, a smile that only women can share after the lost of their loved one. With a nod of her head, Hitomi climbed into her car, started up the engine and drove again, only turning to wave goodbye to her family. With that, she went on the highway and left Gaia as the sun sank into the horizon.

In the hospital, Van lifted his head and watched the golden star fall behind the landscape, a tear falling from his eye. With a sigh, he rested his head on his knees once again. "She's gone."

* * *

--Oh! I'm so sorry for the delays, but it had to happen. Thanks again for all the emails and such. I really loved hearing from all of you. I have one or two more chapters left in me, BUT YOU HAVE TO WAIT!!! School comes first. Just be lucky you're getting this one. 

**UPDATE**- Sorry if you were looking for a new chapter. If you read this chapter before, you'll notice I took out the song. I have a reason for this, but I can't tell you. Sorry. You'll see when I get to writing. Ja ne!--


	14. In The Absence of Wholeness

Hello there! Miss me? --ducks as things are thrown at head-- Now, what's with the violence? I said I'd be back, and here I am. There will be a longer, more detailed author's note at the end, since I think you're all so eager to read what I have here. Enjoy!-

* * *

**_Chapter Thirteen: In the Absence of Wholeness_**

A woman with shoulder length light brown hair walked out of the elevator and onto her chosen floor, slightly astonished by the amount of people walking around with files while others sat at computers with their full concentration on their work. Nervousness swam through her as she took a few steps forward, looking for some idea as to what was in store for her. If only someone would tell her what to do…

"Hello there. You must be new." The girl turned and gazed into the clear blue eyes of an older woman with brown hair and a kind smile. "Y-yes I am. It's my first day."

The older woman's smile grew as she raised her hand. "Well, then allow me to show you around. My name's Maaya Kanzaki. And you are?"

Shaking the woman's hand, the other female replied, "Noriko Tachiki."

Maaya looked her over and smiled again. "Oh that's right. We were expecting you. Come, let me show you around the place before setting you down to work. Don't let this place scare you. We're really all very nice."

As the older woman began walking around, leaving Noriko to follow, the younger spoke up. "Umm, excuse me? I hope you don't mind me asking, but why does your name sound so familiar?"

Pausing, Mrs. Kanzaki turned around and faced her. "Well, if you've read the papers, you'll hear one story, but if you did your research on this company, you'll know I'm the head of this department."

Hazel eyes widened for a moment as realization kicked in. "So, you're my new boss?"

"You could think of it that way. Now, let me show you to your desk." The two continued to walk as they surveyed the area. Maaya pointed out all the important points, including where the vending machines were, before finally reaching their destination. "And here we are. This is your little cube, Ms. Tachiki. I'm assuming you know enough about computers that I don't need to assist you, correct?"

The younger woman blushed a bit as she lowered her head. "Well, actually, I…umm…"

Sighing, Maaya looked around before calling over to someone. "Izark. Could you spare a moment?"

At that moment, a very tall man with long dark brown, almost black, hair stood up and made his way over to them. He looked at Noriko before focusing on his supervisor. "What do you need, Maaya-sama?"

Puzzled, the younger female looked at the older woman as well, who only smiled. "Izark, this is Ms. Noriko Tachiki. She needs a little help with the computers, and since you are the most knowledgeable one on the floor, I figured you could help her. Ms. Tachiki, this is Mr. Izark Kia Tarj. If you have any questions, look for him. From what I know of him, he'd be happy to help, though he may hide that fact." Earning herself a playful glare from the male, Maaya gave a small laugh before continuing. "Unfortunately, there are a few files that need my immediate attention. Let me know if you need anything, Ms. Tachiki. Oh, and welcome to the company." She smiled again before turning and leaving the couple to head to her own office.

The man turned to face this smaller new girl and sighed. "Well, let's get started here."

Noriko looked at him before nodding. "Oh, yes. Umm… how exactly do we get started?"

"I have a feeling this is going to take awhile. I'm not very good at explaining everything, but I can show you. Will that be alright?"

"Oh, yes. I'm actually a visual learner, so that works perfectly." She moved aside to allow him access to the company computer that was to become hers until unemployment, which hopefully was a long ways away. He immediately sat down and pushed a round button, causing the computer to turn on. She made a mental note of that very lovely button.

"While this loads up, perhaps I should inform you of everything that goes on here."

Noriko sat down in the extra chair and gave him her full attention. "That would be nice."

Turning the chair to face her, but also to gaze at the computer out of the corner of his eye, Izark instantly began speaking. "As you've probably been told, this company is very new. It was taken over by Fanelia and transformed into a very efficient business. This floor deals with advertising and sales, but each floor houses something else entirely. In fact, only four flights up is our book publishing unit. They reach out to young authors through the internet and change their fanfictions into original works of fiction. You do know what a fanfiction is, correct?"

Thinking for a moment, she answered, "isn't that when a person takes someone else's work, like an anime, and put those characters into their own stories with different plots?"

"Exactly. Some of those stories are so independent of the original characters that they could be made as a complete work by itself. Simply put, they change the parts that keep the story a fanfiction and publish it for the masses as a separate idea. They have the author's permission, of course, and they get paid very well for the ideas."

"They don't do that for all of them, do they?"

"Of course not. There aren't that many truly great stories out there. Some are just, well, sad." At that point, Izark turned back to the computer and moved the mouse. "The program you'll be working from is in the start menu at the bottom. Click on it and it will shoot up, displaying everything for you. See?" He soon demonstrated what he meant while she looked over his shoulder. Seeing her nod, he minimized the screen and turned back to her again. "This floor, like I said, deals with advertising. Now and then, we are asked to make book covers, but that's rare. We usually deal with other company campaigns. Our biggest account is with Rand."

Confused, Noriko inquired, "I thought Astoria had that company."

Shaking his head, he corrected her. "After what happened four years ago, Fassa took his business here."

"What happened four years ago? Isn't that when this place started up?"

"Astoria got caught up in a huge scandal. It was in the papers and everything. The department head there was arrested and sentenced to do some serious jail time."

"Why?"

Raising one eyebrow, Izark looked her over. "You really aren't from around here, are you Tachiki-san?"

Blushing a bit, she lowered her head. "I've been away from awhile studying at school. I didn't even know companies here use the Japanese honorific system."

"Well, not all companies do. It's just something the boss likes us to do. But you asked about what happened." She nodded, telling him to continue. "The man's name was Allen Schezar, a name no one here will forget. He used lower employees to do his work and passed off the ideas as his own. Also, he would trick the female employees to sleep with him, or else risk losing their jobs. If that wasn't enough, he also was involved with a hit and run that almost killed-"

At that moment, the elevator doors opened and a man with raven hair stepped out, adjusting his glasses that sat in front of his maroon colored eyes. He wore a dark grey business suit with a deep red shirt underneath, a black tie in front of it. As he walked around the room, some of the employees would look up and smile or wave, which he returned. Finally, he stopped in front of Noriko's desk. Raising one eyebrow, he looked her over. "You're new."

She slowly rose to her feet and stammered. "Y-yes, sir. I'm Noriko Tachiki."

As if realizing something, he slowly nodded his head. "Oh right. Maaya mentioned something about you. I'm assuming you have already been given the tour, and that Izark-san has been assisting you with the computer system?"

"Y-yes sir."

Izark stood at the moment, perhaps to save her from this embarrassing situation. "She seems to be a fast learner, sir."

Shaking his head at the taller male, the maroon eyed one looked at him. "I thought we talked about that whole 'sir' thing." Turning his eyes back to the female, he explained, "since this company is somewhat small, we refer to each other by our first names after awhile."

"Oh, I see."

A small smile formed on his face. "Welcome to EscaFlowne, Noriko-san. I look forward to seeing great things from you." Before giving her a chance to reply, he turned and walked away, heading for Maaya's office.

Both employees sat down, the female turning to the male. "Who was that?"

A small chuckle escaped his throat before Izark replied. "That's the big boss, Mr. Van Fanel."

Hazel eyes grew oh so very wide as she looked at him. "Are you serious? That's him?"

"The one and only. He's the one that battled against Astoria, where he originally worked, and took over 90 percent of their accounts, as well as steal Maaya-san and quite a few other employees too. He's also one of the people Allen tried to con. In fact, he was almost killed by Allen with that car accident."

"Oh my. That's horrible."

Shaking his head, the man leaned in more and said in a whisper, "that's not half as bad as what that whole ordeal cost him, something he has never recovered from in all this time."

"What's that?"

With a sadden look in his eyes, he took a moment before speaking, "not what, but who."

* * *

The worst thing a person can face is the blinking of a cursor on a computer page. It signals the lack of ideas and concepts that need to be put into place, thus not being able to creating what is needed to be presented. With a sigh, a female pushed away from her computer and got up to pace around the room. Everything had been going great before, but then this damn block came, preventing everything and anything from getting through.

Shaking her head, the woman went into the kitchen and pulled out a can of coke, popping it open instantly and taking a large drink from it. The liquid was cool in her mouth as she sighed yet again before heading back to the room which held her computer. She sat down yet again in front of it and stared at the screen, silently pleading with it that some letters would just magically appear. However, no such luck.

While she glared at the white screen and the stupid blinking cursor, a small knock on the door signaled the presence of another. Without looking away, she called out, "come in." The door opened and a man with dark raven hair and kind brown eyes walked in. Immediately, he walked up behind the woman and encircled her with his arms. "How's it coming?"

Groaning, she leaned back into his chest. "What does it look like, Einstein? I'm completely and utterly blocked."

"Still?"

"Yep. At this point I'm having a staring contest with the stupid cursor."

Raising one eyebrow, he inquired, "doesn't that just get you more frustrated?"

"Just a tad."

Chuckling, he placed a kiss on her head and held her closer. "I know you'll do it. You've been talking about doing this ever since I've met you. Just clear your head and let your mind make its magic."

Smiling, she moved her head so that she could look up into his eyes. "You have that much faith in me?"

Returning her smile, he leaned down and kissed her lips softly before pulling back. "Much more than you will ever know."

"Remind me how I ever got so lucky?"

"Simple. Your insanity just captivated me."

A small chuckle came from her lips as she added, "well that, and I can hit pretty hard."

"That went without saying."

Both stood there in silence for a few comfortable moments before the man pulled away. "I have some work I have to do, but I'll be back in a few to check on you."

"I shall await with baited breath."

Smiling, he moved towards the door, but before exiting, he turned back to her. "I've heard once that writers work best by drawing from personal experiences. Maybe it would help if you tied that."

Nodding her head, she thought it over. "That might work. Thanks."

The man simply nodded his head as he left. Not too long after, the female took another swig of her coke before letting her fingers fly on the keyboard of her laptop. "Chapter one: one week to go. The cafeteria was full today…"

* * *

The door opened and soon closed as the raven haired mane with maroon eyes entered his large office. His stride was large as he soon made it over to his mahogany desk and to his very comfortable large leather chair. After stretching, he adjusted his glasses before beginning his task on the computer. Folken had asked to see the new slogan for Fanalia, which he demanded to be done by Van himself. With a deep sigh, Van carefully moved the cursor around while typing out different ideas as they entered his mind. It had been a long time since he had done an account himself, but when Folken wanted something done, there was nothing else to consider. His brother had done so much for him the past four years, including intrusting this company to him to head. It was a big risk, but Van definitely did not disappoint. Both EscaFlowne and Fanalia were thriving, blowing the competition away instantly.

Folken had done more than give Van this chance, so much more. In fact, if it wasn't for his older brother, he didn't know what he would have done.

_-Flashback-_

_A very loud banging was heard at the door, though Van continued to sit on the couch unmoving. It was as if he hadn't heard the noise at all. The banging continued and was accompanied by a familiar voice. "Van! Open this door!" After a few moments of silence, the banging came again. "Van Slanzar de Fanel, you open this door right now!" When there was no answer from the said man, there was an even longer bout of silence. Secretly, Van hoped the man outside had given up and left him alone. When he heard the sound of keys jiggling and the turning of the lock, he mentally cursed his misfortune for he knew his super had let the man in. 'I'll have to have a talk with him about that.'_

_The door flew open, and instantly a silver haired man stood in front of the shorter male. A look of disgust entered his eyes as he surveyed his younger brother's appearance. "What the hell are you doing, Van? Have you even showered today?"_

_From Van's mouth came a very monotone voice, void of all emotion. "What's the point? Not like there's a purpose."_

_Shaking his head, Folken sat in the empty chair and stared at him. His heart just broke at what he saw. There sat a hollow shell of his brother in the same clothes he saw last week, seemingly unchanged or even washed. His hair was even more out of control than usual and his eyes, eyes that once held so much joy and laughter, were void as if his soul was lost. _

_Looking away, Folken saw what Van was trying to hide between the cushions, causing a sigh to escape his lips. Reaching over, he pulled the book away and held it up. "You can't keep doing this, Van. You can't live like this."_

_Grabbing at the book, Van pressed it against his chest, daring his brother to try and take it away again. "It's all I have left."_

_"That's not true and you know it. You have to stop torturing yourself and move on. You haven't left this apartment in a month. A month, Van! You haven't worked, bathed or even done laundry in all that time. From the look of things, you haven't eaten much or slept either."_

_"You don't understand, Folken. I close my eyes and there she is. I relive that night each and every time I dream. I see her tears and it hurts so much."_

_"But why are you letting it?" Standing up suddenly, Folken paced around for a few moments. Did she know what she had done to his brother, how she had left him a crippled, broken man? Try as he may, he could not bring himself to truly hate her though. Van had dug his grave, and now had to live in it. But that didn't mean Folken couldn't drag him out. "Van, you have to find work. Another few weeks and you'll be out on the street. There are still things you have to do. You can't just quit at life. It doesn't work that way." Pausing for a minute, he had one last attempt to gain his attention. "What would Hitomi think of you now? You think she'd be happy knowing she wasted her time on quitter? I guess she was correct in assuming she wasted eleven year of her life on a lie."_

_He didn't even have a chance to react as Van held him against the wall, anger in his eyes. "Don't you dare say that. Don't you dare! It wasn't a lie!"_

_"Then prove it. Get your ass out there and get on with your life!"_

_"I… I can't!"_

_"No, you can, you just won't. Why would she come back to a man who would rather waste away in his room than face the world head on? Face it, Van. Hitomi has moved on without you. She's living her life everyday, not shutting herself away while she mopes around crying over what you did. You need to do that same." At that point, Van's grip on his brother loosened, giving him a chance to back away. Folken looked closer at him, seeing the emotions flash in his eyes. "She wouldn't want this, Van. You know that."_

_Raven locks covered maroon eyes as Van stood there motionless. Finally, a weak voice was heard. "I know, but how can I…?"_

_With a sigh, Folken walked over and took his brother into his arms. "Let us help you. We're all here for you. I still have that job for you when you're ready to take it, but you have to take the first step." A small smile formed on his lips as he added, "Just like dad used to say, 'before you can embrace the future, you have to step away from the past and keep a memory of hope in your pocket.' You can do it, Van. It's not too far and we're here if you stumble. No one said this would be easy, but nothing in life is."_

_There was a long moment of silence, not even the slightest bit of noise. Finally, at long last, one word was spoken, one simple word that pushed everything into place. "Okay."_

_-End Flashback-_

Like Folken had said, it was definitely not easy. Each day was a new battle for him until Van was finally ready to start heading EscaFlowne. With Maaya's help and the support of his friends, the company grew beyond their wildest dreams, gaining more and more respect with each day that came. Two months into the birth of Esca, as it was commonly called, Dryden had shown up with the Rand account in hand. As promised, Dilandau was not even in the country anymore, but what shocked him the most was news of Allen's arrest. What everyone had failed to tell him was while he lay in a coma, Allen was on trial for his accident. Apparently, Wolfwood, one of the saxophone players, had come back for his cigarettes that he had dropped and had seen the man behind the wheel of the car. While in court, he positively identified that man to be Allen, sending the man to prison for attempted murder, as the District Attorney had twisted things to appear that way. That along with charges filed against him by many females in the company insured the bastard's long jail sentence. Apparently the phrase "karma's a bitch" isn't an exaggeration.

Sitting back, Van looked over the idea he had come up with. For some reason, a dragon had appeared in his mind, but with angel wings instead. Hopefully Folken would like it, since that seemed to be the only image he could come up with while thinking of Fanalia. It showed that they were powerful and willing to fight, but also had a gentle side and had a strong sense in morality. 'Sounds perfect.'

There was a small knock on the door, startling him out of his thoughts. "Come in." A familiar blue eyed woman poked her head in and smiled as she entered. "You do realize there are only a handful of us left here, right? It's after seven."

Shrugging, he turned back to a file on his desk. "I plan on a late night. Tell the others they can leave. I'll get their names later and remember to lighten their load tomorrow. No one should be working past closing time."

"Perhaps you should practice what you preach sometime, Van."

Sighing, he removed his glasses and gazed at her. "Maaya, please. You of all people know why." Nodding her head, she stood there for a moment in silence. Van was the one to speak first. "Why don't you head on home? Didn't you say Kenji had someone new he wanted you to meet?"

Snapping her fingers, Maaya nodded her head again. "I completely forgot. Thanks for the reminder. I'll see you tomorrow, Van. Bright and early."

"Good night, Maaya."

Closing the door behind her, Van was left with silence and a white screen, that stupid cursor still sitting there blinking. Sighing, he turned to read of the file he had been looking at before. What he saw clearly impressed him. 'Must be from one of the older employees, possibly Izark-san.' When he looked to see who's report it was, he's eyes went wide in surprise. 'Tachiki-san? Well now. One week on the job and this is what I get? Very impressive indeed.' The girl showed a lot of promise and was definitely a quick study, considering she couldn't even use the computer the first day. With more files like this, he'd have to promote her far too early.

Leaning back in his chair, Van raised his arms over his head and stretched, getting all the kinks out of his back in the process. His eyes drifted to a picture frame face door on his desk, causing him to let out a sigh. He knew what it was of, and though it tormented him, he just couldn't get rid of it. Ever so slowly, Van reached out and lifted it so that he may view the photo of a trapped moment in time. The picture had been buried in his photo album for years, but for some reason, he felt the need to have this particular one on his desk. The picture had been taken by one of Millerna's friends the night of the banquet. Van had just seen Hitomi that night when she had to close his mouth for him. The timing of the shot showed her hand on his face with this amused or even loving look in her eye while he gazed at her, taking in her beauty. The picture showed him what he could not see for a long time. It was crystal clear: 'We were in love, but I didn't know it.' Sighing, he returned the picture onto his desk and reached out to look over another file.

* * *

The door opened quietly as the man looked inside the room. While sighing, he walked in and stood behind the woman in the chair. In a very groggy voice, he asked, "do you have any idea what time it is?"

Without turning to look at him, she replied, "I don't look at the clock. It just makes me tired. Besides, I'm on a roll."

Stretching and yawning, he looked over her shoulder and at her laptop. "Oh? So you finally got your idea? Let me see."

Shaking her head, the woman immediately covered the screen. "No! You can't look yet. I'm not far enough along for that."

"Can you at least tell me what it's about?"

"I shouldn't have to. You already told me."

The confusion was apparent on the man's face before he just sighed and walked away. "Crazy woman. I'm going to bed."

Typing away on the computer, she held up one hand and waved at him while her eyes stayed glued on the screen. "Good night, sweetie."

As he walked out, the man turned and looked at her. "Oh, and it's four in the morning."

"Ahh! NO! Now the tiredness will consume me! You bastard! Eyelids… drooping.. must… consume… more… caffeine…"

"Oh, is this the part where I tell you I drank the last coke a few hours ago?"

Ever so slowly, the woman stood and turned to look at him, eyes aflame with anger. "You… did… WHAT?"

The man wasted no time before going into an all out sprint. There was no telling what she would do if she caught him… "I'M GONNA BEAT YOU SO BAD, YOUR OWN MOMMA WON'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT YOU!" Strike that last comment. Apparently there was telling what she would do.

And in that small room, the cursor was still just blinking.

* * *

Noriko hesitantly opened the door after the person on the other side gave her permission to do so. What could Mr. Fanel want with her? Did she do something wrong? She had been there only a month and was still learning. Were her files not up to his standards?

"Ah, Noriko-san. Please, come in a have a seat."

Gulping, she replied. "Y-yes sir."

A small smile broke out on his face. "I thought we've been over this."

"Oh, yes. We have, but I'm still not c-comfortable addressing you that way." The woman walked in and headed over to the chair, her hands shaking slightly.

Van's smile increased slightly. "There's no reason to be nervous, Noriko-san. I'd like you to meet someone." Gesturing to the other chair she hadn't noticed, Van introduced the man sitting in it. "Noriko Tachiki, this is Dryden Fassa, the head of Rand. Dryden, this is Noriko-san, the one I told you about."

The man stood and looked down at her, a friendly smile on his face. "So this is the girl you've been raving about. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tachiki-san."

Her eyes went wide as she shook his hand. "Oh no! The pleasure is all mine, sir."

Van cleared his throat to gain their attention before explaining. "I have been looking over your files very carefully, Noriko-san, and I must say I'm very impressed. In fact, I'm here to make you an offer, if Dryden agrees, of course."

"An offer?"

Nodding, the maroon eyed man sat up and adjusted his glasses in order to see her better. "What do you think about heading up some of Rand's new accounts?"

If Noriko expected to hear anything that day, that was definitely not on her list. Eyes wide in shock, she could not even answer him right away. Next to her, Dryden let out a loud and friendly laugh. "I think you shocked her speechless."

Van's eyes never left hers, causing her to feel a little uneasy despite his kind gaze. Finally regaining her composure, Noriko spoke slowly, "are you sure?"

"Of course I am. You're work is like nothing I've seen before, exactly what Rand could use. You'll be head of your own team in order to run TV commercials, magazine ads, the works. Of course, that also means a raise in salary. We'll negotiate that later. So, what do you say?"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "I would be honored to."

Both men looked very pleased with her answer, but Van was the one to speak first. "Good. Come back in here before leaving today. By then, I want an idea of who you're considering to be on your team. Chose wisely now, okay?" After she nodded, he smiled at her again. "Congratulations, Noriko-san. Feel free to return to your desk and share the good news to the people who aren't listening at the door."

At that moment, a loud bang was heard along with the quick shuffling of feet, making Dryden laugh yet again. The woman smiled as she stood. "Thank you so much, Fanel-sama." With a small bow to show her respect, she quickly turned and walked out of the office, heading immediately to her desk with a smile on her face.

As usual, Izark was sitting there waiting for her. "So, how'd it go?"

"Oh, like you don't know?"

Shrugging, he replied, "I don't press my ear against the door like some people. I'd rather find out from you." Looking up at her, he clearly sent the message that he was waiting for her to talk. With that smile still on her face, she sat in her own chair and looked him straight on. "He asked if I would consider heading up a team for the new Rand account."

Izark sat up straight and smiled brightly. "That's fantastic. Congrats!"

"Thanks. There's just one problem though."

Confused, he tilted his head to the side, which was a common thing for him apparently. "What's that?"

Keeping cool, she pretended to inspect her nails which answering, "oh nothing, just that I have to think about who I want on my team. Now, who should I ask?"

Izark began to think before replying, "well, Najaran is good at pulling out victories at the last moment, so she's a good person to have. Watanuki is a very hard worker. If he can keep his eyes on his work instead of on Himawari, he'll do well." Looking over at her, he saw she had one eye brow raised and this very confused look on her face. "What?"

"Are you really that stupid?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Smacking his forehead lightly, she smiled. "I'm going to ask you, smart one."

The black haired man sat up a bit. "Me?"

"Of course! You're the one that taught me everything on this computer, plus how everything works around here. You have great insight and are easy to work with. Do I really need to continue?"

Shrugging, he leaned back in the chair. "You can if you'd like."

Rolling her eyes, she laughed. "So self centered."

"Oh really? Then I should ask if I could take you out to dinner tonight? To celebrate, of course."

A faint blush covered her cheeks as she digested what he had said. "You really want to?"

Chuckling a bit, he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Truth is I've been trying to ask you out since your first day here."

Her blush grew as butterflies flew in her stomach. She had to admit she was attracted to him, but what would the others say? Would they think she asked him to be on the team just because she liked him? Throwing those thoughts aside, she looked him in the eye and smiled. "When and where?"

His smile sent those stupid butterflies to swarm everywhere. "Seven okay for you? The where is a secret." When she agreed, he nodded his head. "Great. I better get back to work though. I'll see you later then." With that, Izark rose to his feet and walked out of her cubicle and over to his, which was on the other side of the room, much to her disappointment.

Noriko sighed happily and turned to her computer screen. Before she could get started, however, a pleasant voice interrupted her thoughts. "Well, looks like Izark finally asked you out. It's about time."

Mortified, Noriko turned and looked at her department boss. "You knew, Maaya-sama?"

The older woman smiled kindly at her. "Of course I did. Why do you think I called him over your first day?" She laughed slightly at seeing the younger woman look shocked. "I have a mother's instinct, that's all. Now get those files done before Van changes his mind." Before the woman could respond, Maaya walked away, a sad smile on her face. 'Too bad it wasn't that easy back then…'

* * *

Smiling, the man walked up behind her. "Staring off into space again?"

Turning to face him, she shrugged. "I'm trying to visualize my next sentence."

"That might hurt. Don't think too much or you'll get those thinking cramps."

"Your confidence in me is overwhelming. Thanks so much." Laughing, he took her into his arms and kissed her fully on the lips. After a few moments, they separated, leaving her a bit breathless. "Well, someone had a good day."

"It's always a great day when I get to see your beautiful face."

Smiling, she crossed her arms and looked at him. "Alright, what did you do this time?"

Taking her hand, the man led her into the kitchen, causing her to laugh at what she saw. He shrugged. "I didn't want to face your wrath again, so I thought this would prevent that from occurring."

Shaking her head, her gaze shifted to him while the smile still stayed on her lips. "You bought me forty eight cases of Coca Cola?"

"One case for each month we've been together."

"That's disturbingly sweet."

Leaning down, he placed another kiss on her lips before saying, "just goes to show how much I love you."

"And that you're terrified of me when I don't have my caffeine fix."

"That too." He laughed a bit before asking, "how's it coming along? Can I read it yet?"

Tapping her finger against her chin, she shook her head. "Not yet. I have a bit more I want to do before then. Trust me. You'll be the first one to read it over."

"Good." Placing another kiss on her head, he smiled. "I have to get some more work done. Think you can take a break for dinner tonight?"

"For you, of course. Now get out of here before I make it so you won't be able to leave me."

Laughing again, he shook his head. "I'll see you later then."

After exchanging their goodbyes, the man walked out the door, leaving the woman to stand there in the kitchen. She looked around a bit at all the red cases, then shook her head and headed back to the room where her computer sat. Instantly, her fingers danced across the computer keys, not giving the cursor enough time to stand there and blink.

* * *

It was late, of course. There he sat, working on his own work while everyone else had left at least two hours ago. That was fine. Van grew to like working late. No distractions that way.

Reading over the file, Van smiled a bit. 'Looks like Noriko-san is doing very well on the project. Dryden is definitely pleased at the results thus far. She and Izark-san make a great team.' That thought caused his smile to grow a little more. The pair had been together for over two months now, which made them the cute little office romance everyone talked about. 'Gotta hand it to Maaya. She knows how to match people up pretty well.'

Shaking his head, he moved on to a different file. Things had been going well for Esca so far, much more than he could have possibly hoped for. All the work that was being done was nothing short of excellent, and their clients seem to be thrilled. Even the publishing company was doing remarkably well. Who knew there were so many great writers hiding out in the fanfiction world? How he had come up with that idea, even he didn't know.

Folken had loved that idea Van had for Fanalia. Apparently, the idea was so great that he immediately put the logo on everything associated with the company. Of course Varie was just so proud that her boys were getting along. Smiling at the thought of his mother, Van silently thanked her for all the support she had given him.

Sighing, he adjusted his glasses and turned his attention to the newest account they had. It was a new company called Avalon started by a woman named Kinomoto. Why that named sounded familiar, he still didn't know. All he knew was that it was a new account and that he was going to give it his all. If by some chance it needed an entire team, he would investigate on assembling one as soon as possible. For now, he would take care of it personally.

While reading over the file, there was a knock at his door, causing him to raise one eyebrow. Everyone had gone home, didn't they? It was probably a new maintenance crew person who didn't know his usual habit. Shrugging, he went back to his file and said, "Come in." The door creaked open slowly and footsteps were heard as the person entered the room. Van continued to read over his file instead of addressing the new person directly. "It's okay. I'll lock up later. You can go."

"And hello to you too, Sparky."

Freezing in place, Van's eyes slowly widened as he heard this person speak. 'That voice…' Slowly, he put down the file and looked at the owner of said voice. Equally as slow, Van rose to his feet, eyes never leaving the emerald orbs that stared back at him. A small, nervous smile appeared on her face before she spoke, "it's good to see you, Van…"

Taking a deep breath, he said the name that he dared not say out loud for the past four years. "Hitomi…"

* * *

Nodding ever so slightly, he moved away from the laptop and turned to look at her. "It's really good. Very captivating." She only nodded ever so slightly, appearing to be in a deep state of thought. The man continued, "Why did you let me read it before it was finished?"

Finally looking at him, she sighed. "Because I don't know how it ends yet. It hasn't reached its end yet."

With a nod, he rose to his feet. "When do you think you'll know?"

"Soon. The ending is already beginning to unfold…"

* * *

--And thus, the end of chapter thirteen. Was it worth the wait? I hope so…

Now, this is where I tell you all my excuses and such. To be honest, I was completely and utterly drained. This past semester was just so chaotic and time consuming, I barely had time to rest. I was taking a Playwriting 2 class, considering I had Playwriting 1 the semester before that. In that class, we were required to write a full length play (Three Acts) as opposed to the One Act play we had to write in the previous class. I was running out of time, so I transformed an idea I had for a great InuYasha fanfic into the play. All my creative thoughts went towards writing that play. Then I had a Directing class where I had to direct a One Act play and present it to the school. Needless to say, I directed my own One Act which only required three people. Rehearsals were insane, but I had a great cast (all friends of mine).

With that and the papers and other randomness, I did not have the energy nor the ideas to write this chapter until now. I had thought about what one reviewer said, about transforming this story into a book (thus came the publishing company idea in this chapter). After thinking about it, I decided not to. It's already so far involved, and to make it a book, I'd have to stop writing it for you all and transform it into a separate piece. There are just too many anime references and I could never think of the characters as anyone other than Van and Hitomi.

I do, however, have an idea for a book now. It's very exciting, but I won't work on it until this is done. I have to say though, I'm a little discouraged about the turn out for my last story **_The Mists_**. I worked on that one for a year, yet only three people responded to it. If you didn't notice, that was my not too subtle hint for you guys to read it. Lol

I will finish this story. It is my baby after all. It's just going to take some time. I start my regular job in a few weeks, plus I'm looking for another job. I'll do my best though. Thank you to everyone who has emailed me and reviewed many times with their encouragement. I do ask, though, that you don't review my other stories and ask when I'm going to update this one. Makes me sad.

Well, I'm cutting it off here. Review and let me know what you think. Oh, and if you want to know where I got any of my characters, just ask! Lol Ja ne!--


	15. Requiem of a Dream

--I have to say you guys amuse me greatly. Your reaction to the chapter, and for my return, was just fantastic! More author's note at the end. Here's the next chapter! Oh, and just in case you were interested, background music for this in my opinion would definitely be **_Broken_** by Seether with Amy Lee. You'll understand… Oh, someone asked how old they are at this point? Both Van and Hitomi are thirty now. Time flies, doesn't it?--

* * *

**_Chapter Fourteen: Requiem of a Dream_**

There they stood looking at each other, neither daring to move at that moment. It was almost as if they were afraid this instant wasn't real, that it was but a dream. Finally, the female took a deep breath and spoke first, her voice penetrating his very soul. "Mind if I sit down?"

Shaking his head quickly to stop his staring, Van soon nodded, too afraid of speaking to her. As she moved to the chair opposite of him, he slowly sat back down, eyes never leaving her. Was she truly here, after all this time?

As if sensing his shock, she simply smiled kindly at him. "It's been a long time, Van. How have you been?"

The said man blinked a few times before answering. "Good, I guess. You?"

"I've been… good." Then came the awkward silence that surrounded them. Both shifted in their seats with the occasional clearing of the throat before she finally spoke again. "What's with the glasses?"

Surprised by her question, Van reached up and touched the object of her inquiry, as if seeing if they were actually there. "Oh, these. After I got out of the hospital, I got these really bad headaches, especially when I was on the computer for a very long time. My doctor suggested glasses and they've help a lot."

"Do you still get them? Your headaches?"

Shrugging a bit, he replied, "now and then. They aren't as bad as they used to be."

Nodding her head, she smiled a bit. "I'm glad."

Sitting there for a moment, Van shook his head. "What are you doing here, Hitomi?"

A sigh escaped her lips as she stood. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Hitomi, don't. Please, sit down." The way he spoke was of great confidence and authority; she had no choice but to retake her seat. She was silent while he was sorting out his thoughts. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to…"

"I know," was her quiet reply.

Running a hand through his hair, Van let out a frustrated sigh. What was he supposed to say? Four years she was gone and then now she just pops up again? Why? Why did she come to see him?

Finally, he regained some composure and addressed her. "Tell me. What have you been doing with your life the past four years?"

Raising her emerald eyes to meet him, she was uncertain of how to respond. "You really want to know?"

"Of course I do. Tell me everything." If he wanted to learn anything, he was going to act like nothing had changed between them, like they were still the very best of friends.

A smile graced her lips, causing him to get all warm inside. "Well, I've been living in Basram."

"Who the heck do you know there?"

"Millerna's older sister, Marlene. She offered to house me in exchange for looking after their son, Chid. He really is a great kid. So polite."

Raising one eyebrow in amusement, he had to speak up. "This coming from the woman who wished she could drown all children in the lake?"

"Hey, that was a long time ago. I've grown up a bit since high school, thank you!"

Van could not contain his laugh, which definitely made the awkward vibe in the room to disappear. They were at ease now, free to talk like they had long ago. "Alright. Did you find a job at the high school?"

"Well, yes, but not as a choir director."

"Oh really? What did you teach then?"

Chuckling a bit, she smiled. "Japanese."

Surprised, Van questioned this. "I didn't know high schools offered that."

"They didn't until they realized I could teach it. Rumors go around schools quickly. The day after I had come in, more than enough students went in and asked to be able to take the class. Apparently, anime is more popular than we originally thought."

"Ah yes. Thank you Adult Swim and every other channel that airs that fabulous array of animation."

That smile of hers returned. "Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?"

Shaking his head, Van leaned back in his chair. "Not at all. If it wasn't for those channels, no one would write fanfictions. If there were no fanfictions, my little book publishing company five floors down would have nothing to do all day."

"And we can't have that, now can we?" With that smile still on her face, she shook her head gently, letting her now long hair to slip over her shoulder. It was at that point Van looked her over fully. Her hair had now grown a few inches past her shoulders, framing her beautiful face that held only a tiny bit of eye shadow and lip gloss. Her black tank top clung to her body nicely, showing off her now more womanly curves. Were those curves always there? Even though there were nice black open toed heels on her feet, Hitomi still worn denim jeans, although they did appear tighter than what he remembered.

Shaking his head, a small smile tugged at his lips. "You've changed, Hitomi."

Confusion swam in her green orbs, eyes that were fixed on his. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if the purse on your shoulder isn't a dead giveaway, I don't know what is." Chucking a bit at his own joke, he pressed on. "In all seriousness, it looks like you are a lot more comfortable with yourself now. You look really happy, Tomi."

The woman looked to the side for a moment, a tender lift of her lips barely shown. "I haven't heard that in years."

In order to stay away from the uncomfortable silence that was daring to enter yet again, Van cleared his throat. "What else have you been up to? I'd hate to think all that happened to you was the start of a new class."

The emerald eyed woman's head lowered as she closed her eyes for a moment. "A lot has happened since I've left Gaia." The maroon eyed man sat up a bit, silently asking her to continue. "There was a fire six months after I got there. At the time, I was staying late at the school, but when I came back, everything was gone. Nothing was left standing, not even the foundation."

Van leaned forward and had to struggle to keep himself from reaching out to her. "Oh Hitomi. I'm so sorry."

Shaking her head, she sniffed before continuing. "That's not the worst of it. It turned out Marlene and her husband were both trapped inside. They died in the fire. I couldn't reach Millerna or Dryden at the time, something about a business trip."

Sighing, Van stood up and walked over to her, kneeling down in front of his former best friend and took her hand. "Dryden never mentioned it. What about Chid?"

"Luckily, he was at his friend's house when it happened. He didn't have anywhere to go, so I took him in. It was hard for awhile, but we were lucky. I had made enough friends in the school who offered to help. After a few weeks, maybe even a month, I found a place for us to stay. The school let me have some time off, which was so great of them considering I hadn't been there long at all. It was hard for awhile. I mean, over night I had to become a mother to this child who lost everything. I had to make sure everything went on as normal."

"You could have called, you know, if not me, then Folken or my mother. We would have helped you anyway we could."

Slightly nodding her head, she continued, "I know, but to be perfectly honest, I didn't want anything to do with you, didn't want you part of my life anymore, you know?"

Van's heart shattered into a million pieces at that one sentence and slowly let go of her hand. 'I know I hurt her badly, but isn't that a little overkill?' "But you were suffering…"

"I had to learn to live on my own, to become a whole person without any help from my past. If I had just run back here, what kind of person does that make me? At the first sign of trouble, I embraced it and reset my priorities to accept my new role. I don't need anyone else to make me happy and complete now. That's what I wanted, Van, what I needed to discover." Concern shown in her eyes as she glanced over at him. "I'm sorry if that hurts you somehow. You must think I'm a cold, heartless bitch."

Shaking his head, he reached out and took hold of her hand once again. "No. You do what you need to survive. Besides, since when have you ever considered my feelings?" Wincing as soon as he let the words slip out, Van moved to correct himself. "That was supposed to be a joke."

"I know what you meant. It's okay."

Taking a deep breath, he stood up and smiled kindly down at her. "Have you eaten yet?" Taking her rapid blinking as a sigh of shock, he said, "I've been working so long, I didn't realize I missed both dinner and lunch. You mind if we continue this somewhere that provides food, unless you prefer whatever's in the vending machines?"

Thinking it over for a bit, Hitomi shrugged. "I could eat."

"I don't doubt it. I've seen you do it, much to my horror." Van earned a playful slap on the arm for that one as she stood and placed her purse on her shoulder. "Just for that, you're paying, Sparky."

"Don't I get anything from the physical abuse I had to suffer?"

"The pleasure of my company?"

Pretending to think it over for a moment, the raven haired man shrugged. "Eh, why not? Better than eating alone."

It was then that they both started moving towards the door. "Hey, just remember. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have eaten at all. Considering your bottomless pit of a stomach, you would have died within the next half hour."

Smiling as he held the door open for her, he nodded. "Ah, and for that I guess a meal will be sufficient payment for my life."

"You said it. Not me."

As they headed over to the elevator, Hitomi looked around and commented, "You've done well for yourself. I hear Esca is now one of the top companies in the country."

"Ah ha! So you have worried about me. Good to know."

Rolling her eyes, she pushed the down button before turning towards him. "You think I haven't talked to my mother in four years? She tells me things, whether I ask or not." Cringing slightly, she shook her head. "I'm sorry. That sounded very bitchy."

Shaking his head, Van walked onto the elevator when the doors opened. "Reminds me of when we first met."

"I was a bitch back then."

"I would say very hard-headed."

"Like I said. Bitchy."

A small smile grew on his lips as he hit the 1st level button, thus making the doors close and the box to descend. "So, what happened to you two?"

Leaning against the wall of the elevator, she crossed her arms and sighed. "Can't wait until we sit down and talk like normal people?"

"Since when are we normal?"

"Good point. But, give it a few moments and there will be caffeine available."

"Ah, caffeine, a good friend of mine. Alright, then what are we allowed to talk about as we walk across the street and enter the diner?"

As the doors opened and the male walked out, Hitomi pretended to think. "How bout those Yankees?"

Van simply raised one eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

The emerald eyed woman exited the vertically moving box while questioning, "what?"

"You are not a baseball fan."

Shrugging, she kept walking. "Things change, Van. People change." At that point, she opened the main door and held it for the raven haired man. "Coming?"

Walking through the doors and waiting for her to follow, he sighed. "So now you watch Yankee games?"

"Now and then. It's more interesting than I thought. Got a hat and everything now."

Feigning a look of shock, Van grabbed his chest and shook his head. "This cannot be the Hitomi Kanzaki I've known since high school. Who the hell are you?"

A small laugh escaped her lips. "As I've said, people change. I'm not obsessed or anything, but I do occasionally watch a game or two. What's the big deal?"

Leading her across the street, Van continued, "The big deal is I thought you hated the sport."

"Then why would I practice with the softball team in high school and college as well as be the head varsity coach now?"

Before opening the door to a small diner, he looked at her as if she had ten heads. "You sure you're not a pod person?"

"Would I admit to it if I was?"

"Good point." Van opened the door and entered after her, nodding his head to the man behind the counter. The man smiled and immediately came over to the pair. "Ah, Mr. Fanel. Another late night, I gather? At least this time you have a companion."

"When isn't it a late night?" After they shook hands, Van gestured to her. "Calcifer, this is Hitomi, a good friend of mine I haven't seen in years. Hitomi, this is Calcifer. He makes sure I leave the office now and then to get some nourishment in me."

Smiling, Hitomi shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Perhaps I should be thanking you for keeping this fool alive."

Pressing the back of her hand to his lips, he smiled kindly at her, but not before sending Van a questioning glace. "The pleasure is all mine, madame. I have heard so much about you already. It's an honor to be able to meet you face to face." Letting go of her hand, Calcifer picked up two menus and gestured for them to follow. "Your usual table, Mr. Fanel?" A nod was all that was needed as the man led them to a rather large corner booth. "Your waiter will be with you shortly. Let me know if there's anything you need."

Van thanked him before the man disappeared back to the main counter. Picking up a menu, the maroon eyed man looked it over before glancing at the woman across from him. "You still a chicken fingers and fries fan, or has that changed as well? Would you prefer a salad?"

"I haven't changed _that_ much, Sparky." Rolling her eyes, she scanned the menu before looking up at him. "You want to split it?"

Putting the menu down, he smiled. "Works for me. I don't have as big an appetite as I did in high school."

"A large country in Africa thanks you for the consideration. Now they can finally end their starvation and actually live another day."

Before he could reply, a woman placed two sodas in front of them, both with no ice. "Good to see you, Van. Thought you went anorexic for awhile there. Who's your friend? Is it…?"

Cutting the waitress off, he motioned towards the emerald eyed woman. "Sophie, this is Hitomi. Hitomi, this is Sophie, a friend of mine."

Raising one eyebrow, the sandy brunette questioned, "oh? A _friend_? Which sense of the word am I looking at?"

The waitress laughed as a blushing Van shook his head. "Just friends. Howl would kill me if I tried anything."

"Howl?"

Sophie turned her kind brown eyes towards Hitomi. "My fiancé. Very eccentric and slightly protective of me. Heck, he'll be here in a few minutes to take me home."

"What does he do?"

"Well, he's a Mythology and Astrology professor at the local college. However, he has dipped into the chemistry field. Honestly, I'm twenty-five. Can't tell, can you? Some potion of his exploded and turned my dark hair to grey. He's still trying to make it up to me." Sophie waved that off as she pulled out her pad and pen. "Howl thinks he's some kind of wizard or something. I don't know. Anyway, you ready to order?"

Smiling, Van handed her the menus. "Just the usual, Sophie."

Nodding as she picked up the menus, she commented, "So this time you'll actually finish it? Amazing. I keep telling you it's too much for one person."

Van shrugged as he answered, "Old habits die hard. Thanks Sophie." She smiled before leaving the pair alone to talk, which they immediately did. Or rather, Hitomi was the first to speak. "Is there anyone here you don't know?"

Chuckling, he shook his head. "I come here as often as I can, but lately things have gotten a bit… busy."

A look of concern crossed her features. "Oh? Did I come at a bad time then?"

Waving his hand in dismissal, Van shook his head. "Never. I'm a workaholic now a days anyway. I could always use the break. Now, before you change the topic and make me lose my train of thought, what happened to you and the child?"

Taking a long sip of her drink, Hitomi sighed before continuing her tale. "Like I said, it took about a month to find a place of our own to stay. It was difficult, very difficult. I only had so much money, not enough for something over the top. I couldn't even afford what I had here. The place was very small. A lot of my stuff was gone in the fire too, so we had practically nothing."

Sorrow was etched onto his face as he listened to her. "I really do wish you had said something."

"Van, I didn't even tell my mother. I wanted to be independent, so I became independent. To truly start over, things had to change, so the fire did that for me. Should I even continue with my life story, or are you going to cry over everything?"

"I'll try and gain control over my tear ducts. Go ahead."

She took another sip of her drink before going on. "I thought it best to make sure Chid kept attending school, have some sort of normalcy in his life after everything. Heck, I even went as far as drop him off in the morning and pick him up afterwards, just like what my mom used to do with me. We had to cut out all luxuries and focus on what was needed. Chid took it all very well, never once complaining. It amazed me, how easy it was to think of him as my own child, as if I really was his mother. And even though we never asked, there were so many people who were more then willing to help."

Before Hitomi could continue, a plate of chicken fingers and another of fries were set in front of them, courtesy of Sophie. She smiled before walking away and cheerfully telling them to enjoy the food. Both of them reached for what they desired and began to eat, Van still looking at her. "You can continue, if you'd like."

"You mean I have a choice?"

"No, but it makes me sound nicer." Rolling her eyes, she took a bite of chicken. He could definitely tell she was stalling, as if she was afraid to say what was coming next. 'I wonder what she's avoiding.'

Finally, he heard her speak once again. "I met someone there, Van."

Shrugging, he kept eating. "I would hope so. I mean, you'd have to if you're a teacher. It's not like you to be a hermit."

Shaking her head, she didn't look at him. "No, I mean I met someone… someone that has helped me more than I can possibly say."

Van paused, trying to understand her meaning. Suddenly, it hit him. 'She met a guy.' Preparing himself for her news, he took a fry and watched her. "Go on."

A sigh escaped her lips as she thought over exactly what to say. "His name is Bryan Caliburn. He's a history teacher at the junior high Chid went to. I got to tell you, our meeting was… interesting…"

_--Flashback--_

_The bell rang as a large group of students ran out of the junior high school, ready to get away from all the books, lectures and painful reminder that a beautiful day was wasted indoors. _

_"Wait…"_

_--End Flashback--_

Hitomi raised one eyebrow at him. "Wait for what?"

"I thought Chid was seven. Wouldn't he be in the second grade? Well, sixth grade by now."

Waving her hand in dismissal, she rolled her eyes. "No, he was in the seventh grade when I came."

It was Van's turn to raise an eyebrow. "How did you possibly confuse the two?"

"The number seven was all that stuck in my mind. Easy mistake."

"Oh yeah. Cause a seven year old is exactly the same as a seventh grader."

Throwing a fry at his head, Hitomi commented, "Do you want me to tell the story or not? If so, then shut up."

Popping the fry in his mouth, he smiled. "Yes ma'am."

"Okay, now where was I? Oh yeah…"

_--Flashback--_

_One boy with blonde hair and blue eyes held back from the rest, choosing to sit on one of the benches in front of the school. Slowly, the student body disappeared from the school, leaving this boy all alone. Even some of the teachers were on their way home while he waited. He would wave politely, wishing them a good night, while sitting there. At one point, he even took out his homework and began working on that when a hand on his shoulder stopped him from learning about Ancient __Egypt_

_The boy looked up into kind brown eyes. Well, he didn't have to look up long for the man sat down next to him. "Now, here's a question to ponder. Why would a twelve year old boy not run away from the imprisonment that is school, but rather sit outside of it and do the homework that is required of him? Seems very illogical to me. What's up, Chid?"_

_A sigh escaped said boy's mouth before he answered, "not much, Mr. Caliburn. My pick up isn't here yet, that's all."_

_Nodding his head, the teacher looked around. "What time are they usually here?"_

_Shrugging, the boy replied, "She's only a little bit late. She mentioned something about a meeting after school, so it's no big deal."_

_"Oh? Is she a teacher?"_

_"Yep.__ The new Japanese teacher at the high school."_

_Mr. Caliburn searched his memory for any mention of this teacher. Sadly, he came up with nothing. Then again, he wasn't really into the whole gossip chain. Shrugging, he looked over what the boy was reading. "You do realize that material isn't for my class, right?"_

_"I like __Egypt__, especially the Gods."_

_Holding up both hands in defeat, Mr. Caliburn smiled. "Well, far be it for me to prevent the youth of the world from learning."_

_"Well that's good to hear." Both men looked up at the owner of the voice. Chid smiled and began packing his things, getting ready to leave. As he walked over and gave the woman a hug, he turned back to the teacher. "Mr. Caliburn, this is…"_

_It was then that the dark raven haired male finally stood, his eyes never leaving the woman's emerald eyes. His own eyes were a bit wide and his lips were parted slightly, as if he was shocked. Taking a few steps forward, he extended his hand towards her. "Bryan Caliburn. I'm Chid's history teacher. You must be Mrs…"_

_Shaking his hand, she cut him off. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Chid has spoken of you a few times."_

_Smiling, the keeper of historical knowledge stepped forward a bit. "Well, don't believe everything you hear. I'm really a nice guy."_

_"So I should be expecting my hand back…when…?" Looking down at their hands, the man took his back as a slight blush formed on his face. Before he could say anything, the woman was on her way home with the boy. "Thank you for staying with him, Mr. Caliburn. Good night."_

_Noticing them heading out of the parking lot on foot, __Bryan__ stepped up. "Umm, would you two like a ride? It's no trouble at all."_

_Chid__ looked up at the female, who simply looked over her shoulder while continuing, "no thank you. We aren't too far away." The look on the boy's face showed only a hint of disappointment. _

_"Are you sure? I really don't mind."_

_The sandy brunette whirled around suddenly, a weird spark in her eyes. "I'm sure you don't, Mr. Caliburn, but like I said, we aren't too far away. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way." The way she said that and quickly turned to walk away left no room for debate. The man smiled before digging out his car keys and walked toward his vehicle. _

_--End Flashback--_

"What a prince."

A small smile played on her face. "If I remember correctly, our initial meeting wasn't much better, you macadamia nut."

Shrugging, Van smiled also. "Well, you were standing over her with that oh so threatening look in your eyes."

"I was protecting her. By the way, how is Merle?"

"Last I heard she was in Spain with her college roommate. Apparently they really liked it there."

"Sounds good, but you didn't let me finish the story."

"By all means, continue with your little fairy tale."

"Sarcasm?"

"Only the purest form."

"Anyway…"

_--Flashback--_

_Walking down the hallway, he gave a quick wave to some students before walking into the main office. A smile grew on his face as he leaned against the desk and looked at the secretary. "Good morning, Kanami. And how are we this fabulous morning? Kazuma doing well after his promotion at the station?"_

_Those bright blue eyes focused on him, the younger woman sighed. "What do you want, Bryan-kun? Oops, I mean Mr. Caliburn."_

_The teacher smiled over her so-called error. Kanami was born and raised in a very traditional household, however she had to work very hard after her parents died. It was around that time she had met Kazuma, who was now her husband. What started out as a brother sister type relationship grew into more when Kazuma tried to work on his own. Now that he was a detective, the boy finally asked for Kanami's hand, which of course she agreed to. The two were very happy together, much to everyone's pleasure._

_"Now what makes you think I desire something? Can't we have a nice chat between friends?"_

_A giggle escaped her lips. "Oh, so you want to look at a file. Before I tell you that information is classified, who is it for?"_

_"Chid Dalzar."_

_Her smile instantly faded as a look of sadness took over her features. "That poor kid. What do you need to know?"_

_-----------------_

_Looking around the place, heels soon clicked against the floor as the female made her way towards the destination desired. She was already running late, which did not sit well with her. Finally, she found the correct door number and gently knocked on it, only entering when the voice on the other side gave her permission to do so. "Sorry I'm late. Now what…" Seeing the person sitting there, she shook her head. "What's going on, Mr. Caliburn?"_

_The teacher rose from his seat to meet her emerald eyes. "Would you like to sit down?"_

_Shaking her head, she took one step forward and crossed her arms. She was still not used to skirts, so her footwork was still questionable. "I was told there was a problem with Chid? I find that hard to believe."_

_Holding up both hands in defense, the brown eyed man commented, "My concern is for his home life. I think…"_

_"Let me cut you off right there. I don't know what your deal is, but I'm not interested. If you're trying to be the nice guy in some sick attempt in getting with me, then don't bother. We've both been through enough to last us a lifetime. So drop the fake savior act and leave us alone. Just teach him history and that's it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a class to get to. Good day, Mr. Caliburn." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out, adding a nice slamming of the door as she left._

_Sinking into his seat, the history teacher simply blinked and thought over what she had said._

_--End Flashback--_

"Glad to hear you still have that bad ass attitude."

"Do you mind?"

"Sorry. Go ahead."

_--Flashback--_

_A loud knock on the door had the grumbling woman a bit irritated. Don't people usually sleep in on a Saturday? Not caring about her appearance, she opened the door to see the person she dreaded. "Mr. Caliburn, what are you doing here?"_

_The man stood there with his arms behind his back and a very sincere look on his face. "I've thought about what you said last week." She simply leaned against the door to hear what he had to say. "I'm sorry about that. I know you think I'm only here for my own reasons, but I want to assure you I really do care about Chid. I heard what happened and I want to help. I hope you don't mind, but again I heard about your living conditions and all, so I brought some things to help out a bit."_

_A moment passed in silence before she spoke. "And I'm supposed to believe you?"_

_"Believe it or not, but I just want to help any way I can. No child should grow up like this. I brought some tools and wood, to repair the walls and all. Throw some paint up and the place might at least be nicer to look at." _

_Before she could say anything, a tired seventh grader came from the back room. "Mr. Caliburn?"_

_A small smile grew on his face as he peered at his student. "Hi there sleepy head. You want to give me a hand in helping fix a few things around here?"_

_"Mr. Caliburn, it's __six thirty__ in the morning."_

_-Sweatdrop-_

_The man blinked a bit before replying, "Is it really? Oh, I'm so sorry."_

_A small smile broke onto the woman's face. "Go back to sleep, Chid. I'll wake you up in a few." He didn't even answer, but instead made his way back to one of the back rooms with his bed in it. The female turned and looked at the teacher. "Now you understand the attire and the nice dark rings under these eyes?"_

_Shrugging, he sighed. "Sorry. Guess I was a little anxious."_

_"You think?" She sighed as she thought over her words. "I'm perfectly capable of raising Chid and providing for him."_

_"I understand that, but everyone could use some help now and then. From what I can tell, you're barely making ends meet."_

_"Well, they're meeting."_

_Shaking his head, __Bryan__ looked her straight in the eye. "Put your pride aside for a moment and think of Chid. What's the harm in just fixing things so you both are more comfortable? There are no strings attached. You have my word on that." As she thought that over, he added, "You don't have to trust me, just allow me to help."_

_Another sigh escaped her lips as she opened the door to allow him entrance. "Come on then. We don't have much, but I can find something to make breakfast out of. The least I could do if you're going to do a lot of manual labor."_

_Nodding his head, the teacher bent down and brought in all his supplies, including a toolbox, large pieces of wood (in various sizes) and then a very large box. "What's with the box?"_

_Raising one eyebrow, he lowered it so she could see. "I talked to a few people in town. They donated all this stuff for you and your son. Food, clothing, whatever…"_

_Emerald eyes focused on his brown ones for a moment. "Why are you doing all this?"_

_"That's not the right question to ask. My concern is why someone didn't do this sooner."_

_A sincere smile grew on her lips as she took the box out of his hands and into the crumbling kitchen area. She soon came out and extended her hand. "Hitomi Kanzaki. I'm his guardian, not mother."_

_Nodding his head, he took her hand and shook it. "Bryan Caliburn. You may not be by blood, but you are a mother to that boy." Soon, they let go of each other and made off to do their own thing, Bryan checking over what needed fixing and Hitomi putting together a nice breakfast._

_--End Flashback--_

Shaking his head, Van looked her over. "Wait a minute. You can cook? Last I checked it was only ramen."

Stealing some fries, Hitomi glared a bit. "I learned a thing or two. Had to."

"Hey, am I ever going to eat some of those nicely fried potatoes?"

"I'm surprised you haven't eaten during the story. Oh, and I'm not done."

Grabbing a piece of chicken, he dipped it in ketchup and bit down. "I didn't think so. I'm listening."

_--Flashback--_

_With the end of the school came the summer, which came and went, bringing Chid to enter his eighth grade year. Smiling a bit, he waved to the brown eyed teacher, realizing it was going to be a bit difficult to go back to calling him Mr. Caliburn instead of just __Bryan__. That's what he had been told to call him all summer._

_The summer had definitely been interesting. The history teacher came over to the apartment as often as he could, helping to fix it up to make it livable. Hitomi did not seem too pleased at first, considering she worked very hard to even be able to afford the place, but as time passed she began to accept the fact he was not going away any time soon. They now had a full cupboard, an actual refrigerator with stuff in it, as well as other electrical devices they couldn't afford. __Bryan__ assured Hitomi it wasn't just his money paying for all their new appliances. "Is it that hard to imagine people might actually want to help you?" They had a lot of arguments about that, which was quite funny to him._

_Then again, he was just a kid. What did he know about lovers' quarrels, especially when the people involved didn't even realize?_

_-------------_

_Raising her arms over her head in order to stretch, Hitomi heard all those nice pops before she returned her attention to the tests she was grading. It was already a month into the school year and the students were catching on quite nicely. Of course, as soon as that thought entered her mind, Hitomi came across one paper that was a mixture of Japanese, French and Spanish. How that was even possible was a puzzle to her and the paper was in her hand. 'Obviously someone is taking more than one foreign language class at a time.'_

_Before she could put that famous red pen on the white page, a knock on the door interrupted her. Sighing, the sandy brunette put the tests down, got up and walked over to open the door. For some odd reason, she was a little surprised to see the history teacher standing there. "Mr. Caliburn? What are you…?"_

_"Before you say anything, I just wanted to tell you I can't come by anymore."_

_This definitely was a shock. "Reason?"_

_Exasperated, he threw up his hands and walked in a little circle on her little front porch thing. All of the homes in this apartment complex had their doors facing outside. There was no hallway connecting them inside, but rather steps and the little front porch. Taking a moment, he leaned on the railing and looked at her. "Why do you think?"_

_Confused, she leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms in front of her. "If I knew the answer, why would I ask the question?"_

_Shaking his head, brown eyes met emerald. "You can't honestly tell me you haven't noticed. I was very sincere in my intentions in the beginning, but now… now I can't do this."_

_"Do what?"_

_"I can't keep coming here and seeing you everyday, knowing nothing will ever happen between us!" That made her quiet, giving him a chance to continue. "When I first came, I had every intention of helping out, for Chid's sake. I wasn't here to make a move or anything. These past months have been so great. I love being here with Chid and you. That's my problem. You! You're not just some girl to date so I have something to do. You're not the type to just date a guy for a meal. You're compassionate and protective and just so…" He shook his head again before finishing. "All I think about is you. Your face is always in my mind. When I'm not here with you, I look forward to coming here. I'm out with my friends and I keep thinking about what you're doing at that moment. I can't escape you." Looking her directly in the eyes, he asked, "What the hell did you do to me?"_

_Her eyes were wide in shock, no words forming any sentences. He was just standing there, waiting for her to say something, but what could she say?_

_"Screw it." Reaching out, __Bryan__ grabbed her arm, yanked her over to him, held her head in his hands and kissed her fully on the lips. It was powerful and passionate, causing Hitomi's emerald eyes to flutter shut and before she knew what was happening, she was returning the kiss. _

_Finally parting, his eyes gazed into hers softly before he whispered, "I think I'm in love with you, Hitomi Kanzaki." Before she could comment, he released her and began to back away. "I'll be going now. I'm sorry that I crossed the line. Please forgive me." He quickly turned and left, taking the stairs at a quicker pace than usual. _

_Just as he was about to unlock his car, he heard her call to him. "__Bryan__, wait!" Turning around, he saw her jogging up to him, stopping only when she reached him. The Japanese teacher looked at him before saying, "There's this café not too far down the road. I think we need to talk… or rather I need to explain something to you."_

_"Hitomi…"_

_"Please? I want you to understand where I'm coming from, why I've been acting the way I have. Please?"_

_Thinking it over a bit, he motioned to the car. "Am I allowed to drive you this time?" She nodded, causing him to walk around and open the passenger's side door for her. With no hesitation, Hitomi climbed in and waited for him to come around and head to the café._

_--End Flashback--_

Van had been sitting back the entire time, watching and listening carefully. "So you two started dating after that?" Her nod was his answer. Shrugging, the maroon eyed man sat up. "That's great, Tomi. It's good that you've moved on so well and have dated. Much better than the whole nun thing."

Raising one eyebrow, she shook her head. "I'm far from being a nun, Sparky."

"Bad example, I admit." A small chuckle came from his lips as he drank the last of his drink. "So, do I get to meet this boyfriend of yours or would certain doom fall upon us?"

Looking down, Hitomi bit her bottom lip. "Actually, Bryan isn't my boyfriend anymore."

"Oh? Got tired of your sarcasm and harassment? Poor guy. Not everyone can take that kind of abuse for long." Smiling, he stole the last fry and popped it into his mouth.

Shaking her head, she commented, "No, that's not why."

Van raised one eyebrow and seemed concerned. "Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you, Tomi? If he did, then I'll…"

Hitomi's eyes closed for a moment before she looked at him again. "Van, Bryan's not my boyfriend. He's my fiancé."

That stopped him dead in his tracks. All the color drained from his face as he tried to compute the information she just gave him. "Your… your what?"

Sighing, Hitomi raised her left hand, showing him the ring, confirming what she had said. A look of sadness and sympathy was on her face as she stated, "I'm getting married."

At those three words, Van Fanel's entire world, every tiny hope he held in his heart, shattered into a million pieces.

* * *

--So, you guys hate me or what? Bet you didn't see that coming! Again, killing the author is a very bad thing. Sorry this took so long. As you know, college is a priority now, as sad as that may be. I'm trying to work on this as much as I can, but I'd rather have a good chapter than a rushed one. 

Chid's last name was interesting. I went to this _EscaFlowne_ site to look for it and found something. His real name is Chid zar Fried, meaning Chid prince of Fried. The 'dal' is part of his father's name, meaning king or leader. At least, that's what I took it to mean. So, thus the last name Dalzar was created: King Prince. (yes, I'm a little sad…)

Oh, in the last chapter I mentioned a company called Avalon run by a woman named Kinomoto. All CCS fans should know who I'm referring to… Way back in the chapter where the two are in college, Hitomi mentioned her friend Sakura and her boyfriend Syaoran. Sakura's last name in the original Japanese version is Kinomoto, but in the American dubbed version, it's Avalon. (yes, yet again I am that sad…)

One thing that got me stuck for almost a month was Bryan's name. I have this little quirk. I cannot write about a character without knowing their name. Not a big deal? Without the name, I couldn't write the flashbacks because I can't picture the character nor how they'd act. Why do you think I haven't really started on my real fiction story? No names… and the fact I don't know how to begin it...  
-sweatdrop-

ANYWAY, I hope you like the chapter and don't send assassins to kill me in my sleep. I think there are only one or two more chapters left, but not too sure. This thing will definitely NOT hit twenty chapters. Heck, this thing was supposed to end back at the balcony scene, but the characters dictated differently. AKA- the story now has a life of it's own. Leave a review if you'd like. I do enjoy hearing from all of you, so the email option is always open. Ja ne!--


	16. Something Old and Something New

--Well, you all know how much I love your comments. Time to see what happens to these fabulous characters you all know and love.--

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen: Something Old and Something New**_

Married. Married. Hitomi was getting married. To someone that wasn't him. In less than twenty four hours, Van's life went from hopeful to destroyed all over again. Married. His Hitomi was getting married to some other guy. It almost didn't seem real, just a trick his mind had played on him. If it wasn't for the expression Maaya sent him every time he walked by, he could convince himself it was all but some horrible dream. But it wasn't, and that fact alone killed another piece of him every time.

Why did he say he was happy for her? Why didn't he tell her she still held his heart, his entire being? It was too late now. That one moment years ago was the deciding point that dictated his life, and he had chose wrongly. She had every right to move on with her life. Maybe after this, he could truly move on as well and find some shred of happiness. Even as he thought that, Van knew better. This was his choice and he had to live with it, no matter how painful. Why couldn't he see what everyone else had?

What she had said though was probably the worst…

_-Flashback-_

_Hitomi squirmed a bit in her seat, waiting for him to say something about her engagement. It took his entire being to respond. "I… I'm happy for you, Tomi. You deserve to be happy."_

_Nodding her head, she reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I know this is probably asking too much, but do you think it's possible to be friends again? Obviously it won't be the same as before, but I really miss that. Do you think we can return to what we were when we first met? I understand completely if you say no."_

_How could she ask that of him? She just waltzed back into his life, dropped a bomb shell on him, and then asked this? This had to take some carefully thinking. However, Hitomi took his silence in a negative sense. With a slow nod of her head, she started to get up. "I understand. It's too much to ask. I'll just go. Sorry." _

_As she was about to walk away, her wrist was captured by his hand, causing her to turn and look at him. The look in his eyes was hard to describe, almost like a mixture of panic, pain and desperation. "No." Confused, she just stood there looking at him, waiting for him to go on. "After so many years of knowing each other, there's no way I can go back to square one. However-" He finally looked up and gave her a small smile, one she knew to be forced. "I'll be more than willing to go back to what it was before that whole… thing, if you'll let me. I want my best friend back."_

_A soft smile grew on her lips, somehow understanding how hard it was for him. "You know it can never be the same, but I miss my best friend too. And if you think you can, will you come to my wedding?"_

_Pain flashed in his eyes, but Van kept that smile. "Of course. I want nothing more than to see you happy, 'Tomi."_

_He knew that made her happy, even before she gave him a hug to show this. What he also knew was that there was no hope left, and the Hitomi he knew and loved was lost to him forever. _

_-End Flashback-_

Everyone in the office could tell something went horribly wrong. He wasn't acting himself at all. Even his work was reflecting his currently state of mind. If it wasn't for Maaya interfering, Folken would have been down there yelling at him for the crappy work. She had told his brother the news, however, so instead the silver haired man gave his some slack. Not too long after that, his family received the invitations as well. At first, Merle insisted she would not attend after what Hitomi had done to him. It took a lot of persuasion, but Van finally convinced her to go.

Now the question was could he handle going to her wedding. Van still wasn't sure what to do. A huge part of him said he had to go to support his best friend. But there was still a part of him that screamed the wedding was a mistake. Well, at least the groom part.

A sigh escaped his lips as he shook his head. Hitomi made her choice and he would be happy for her. Did this Bryan guy know just how lucky he was to have Hitomi in his life, let alone as his wife? Wife. Hitomi would be this guy's wife for the rest of her life. This wasn't just some guy that would just come and go. This was the one for her, and it wasn't him. Hitomi Caliburn, not Fanel. Even Van had to admit the name had a pleasant sound to it, but he'd be damned before he would say that out loud.

A knock on the door called his attention away from his self pity. "Come in." When the person walked in, even Van had to be surprised. "Since when do you come all the way down here?"

The person smiled as they walked into the office, shutting the door behind them. "Since I received an invitation to a certain wedding. I had to come see for myself if you were kicking your ass all over again."

A sad little chuckle escaped his lips as Van rose from his seat to greet the visitor. "You know me a little too well. Please, have a seat, or is this one of those say hi and run type of meetings?"

"Well, I didn't expect for you to actually have time for little old me, but I guess I can stay for a little bit." As the person who has yet to be identified sat in the chair offered, the man we know as Van Fanel returned to his chair as well. He waited until his friend was ready to speak. "So, what do we know about the guy?"

Sighing and running a hand threw his raven locks, the maroon eyed man struggled with the words. "For what I hear, he's a really nice guy. A history teacher at a middle school in Basram."

"Long way from good old Gaia, isn't it?"

"Well, it is a drive. Anyway, I haven't met him."

That caused the person to sit up. "Why not?"

Raising one eyebrow, he questioned his friend's response. "Isn't it a little obvious?"

A sigh escaped the mysterious person's lips. "Van Fanel, are you still that dense? You have to meet him."

"And what would be persuading me to do this?"

"One word: Hitomi."

Pausing for a moment, he asked, "Explain?"

"Well, obviously she wants you to be at the wedding, meaning you are still important to her, if only as a friend. Now, how would you feel if your very best friend in the entire world refused to meet the one you're going to marry?"

Grasping what the person was implying, he slowly responded, "Like crap because it means they already don't like her."

"Exactly. So, be a good boy and call her to arrange a meeting between the three of you. I warn you though, it will definitely be weird, but do try to not look for all the bad things. Hitomi chose him for a reason. No offense."

"None taken." Letting out yet another sigh, Van shrugged and reached for the phone. "Better sooner than later, right?"

Nodding, the person stood up. "I'll leave you to your thoughts."

"Oh wait. How are things with you and-"

"Good, really good. We're both still alive, so that has to be a plus."

"And what else have you been up to? I haven't seen you in awhile."

A smile grew on the visitor's face. "I've been writing a book."

Surprise entered his features, but soon a smile appeared on his lips as well. "Fantastic. You always did love to write. Let me know if I can help you out in anyway."

Chuckling softly, the stranger nodded. "You've already helped me more than you know." Not waiting for a response, the visitor walked out of the office. "Catch you later, Vannie."

Shaking his head, Van picked up the phone and dialed the number Hitomi had given him that night at the diner. After about four rings or so, her voice message picked up, giving him a chance to hear her lovely voice.

"Hi, this is Hitomi's cell. Sorry I couldn't answer your call. I probably couldn't hear it, wasn't in the room, or knew you were calling and chose not to answer. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you. Bye!"

Waiting for that popular beep, Van left his message. "Hey 'Tomi. It's me…. Van. Umm, I was thinking… maybe I should meet this fiancé of yours. You know, make sure he won't murder you in the middle of the night. There's this place called Draconian not too far from here. Let me know what time works best for you and him. Okay. Talk to you later. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, Van sat back and stared at the ceiling as if it held the answers to the mysteries of life. Meeting him would make this all real, no chance of this being a dream. Meeting him would mean saying goodbye to her.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Van gave himself a silent pep talk. 'Okay, must be supportive. It's just a meeting. I'm just meeting the guy… who happened to steal Hitomi's heart. Okay, bad train of thought. Get yourself together, Fanel. Here goes.'

With that all sorted out, he pushed open the door and was greeted by woman with long blue hair. "Oh, nice to see you again, Mr. Fanel."

A small chuckle came from him. "Kaname, we've known each other since high school. It's okay to call me by my first name. How is Sousuke? Still doing the military thing?"

She nodded. "That boy was born to be military. He has no common sense or real mind of his own, so it's perfect. And I have to call you by last name, Mr. Fanel. It's part of the job."

"Alright, Mrs. Sagara. That's so weird to say. I never thought he'd live long enough for him to ask you to marry him."

At that, she out right laughed. "He had it coming every time. Now, are you alone this time or do we have someone special? Oh, what ever happened to you and Hitomi? I could have sworn you two would have gotten married by now."

Though it was an innocent question, the pain still hit him as he faked a smile. "That's who I'm meeting now. Well, her and her fiancé."

There was no mistaking the shock that appeared on her face. "Oh. Guess she came in when Rebecca was working up front. Sorry. Let me take you to them." With no more small talk, Kaname grabbed a menu and lead Van to his table.

Every step they took, Van made a silent prayer to not make of fool of himself and of Hitomi in the process. He also prayed for some self control so he wouldn't murder this guy for stealing the woman of his dreams. Then again, is it really stealing if you never knew you possessed something so grand?

"Van!"

The said male came out of his thoughts and smiled when he saw her. Hitomi got up from her seat and walked over to greet him, throwing her arms around him in a friendly hug. How did he not know the difference between a friendly hug and one where the two people desperately loved each other? He did now, for he could feel the difference in the way Hitomi had wrapped her arms around him. She was more distant than before, much more distant than he could ever imagine. 'So, this is it. Goodbye, my love.' Forcing a fake smile, he held her for an all too brief moment before letting her go. "Good to see you, Hitomi." Turning his head towards the table, he saw a man with brown eyes and raven hair rising from his seat. Nodding his head, Van extended his hand. "You must be the lucky man."

Taking his hand and shaking, the man nodded. "Bryan Caliburn. Pleasure to meet you."

"Please, let's take our seats. Have you both ordered yet?"

As Hitomi sat, Bryan waiting until she had, she answered, "We only order drinks. I took the liberty of ordering a coke no ice for you. Is that alright?"

Smiling, he replied, "Of course. I haven't changed that much. Besides, I do have to get back to work after this."

"Oh? And where is it that you work, Mr. Fanel?" Bryan took the liberty of asking.

"Please, just Van. Mr. Fanel makes me sound old. I'm the head of EscaFlowne."

"Isn't that a new company? What exactly does it do?"

Sitting up straighter and pretending to fix his jacket, Van replied, "Well, I'm not one to brag…"

Hitomi couldn't help but laugh. "Since when?"

Pretending to think for a moment, the maroon eyed man nodded. "True. Alright then. Esca does numerous projects, depending on what floor you're on. Our two most successful areas are advertising and book publishing."

Apparently very interested, Bryan interjected. "I heard you used to work at Astoria and ended up stealing almost all of their employees right out from under them. Is that true?"

"Well, it didn't take much persuasion. Astoria didn't treat their workers properly. In fact, Hitomi's mom works as the head of the advertising at Esca now. She's doing very well too."

"Oh, she loves it there, Van. She's always telling me how much friendlier and more competent the place is." Hitomi smiled at him, and then turned to Bryan. "My mom had been working at Astoria for a long time, but was never promoted because of some jackass there. Van gave her the position she deserved."

Waving his hand in dismissal, Van decided it was time to change the subject slightly. "So Hitomi tells me you're a history teacher?"

Nodding, the brown eyed male responded, "That's right."

"Now, is this a broad topic, like history of the world, or rather a concentration?"

"Well, I'm particularly fond of the Greeks, but I am capable of teaching about the history of the world."

"That's good to know, considering you were Chid's teacher." Leaning her head on Bryan's shoulder, Hitomi smiled up at him while he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Van did his best not to react. "Any interest in philosophy then?"

Bryan took his attention away from the woman in his arms to answer, "They just started to offer that in the high school, but not in the middle school. I have studied Socrates and other Greek philosophers though."

"Great! I had this paper focusing on Thales and some others that I'm still working on."

Laughter came from the couple. "I had a feeling you didn't finish that paper. Slacker."

Shrugging, Van brushed it off. "What can I say? It wasn't my forte."

The other male argued. "It's not an easy subject to take on. Even the so called experts still puzzle over interpreting the ideas of Plato and Aristotle, to name only two."

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused everyone at the table to look up at the waiter. Van couldn't help but laugh at who it was. "Wow, quite a fall from Allen's pet. How goes it, Dilandau?"

The white haired man simply glared and gruffly asked, "Are you ready to order?"

Hitomi bit her tongue to keep from laughing, but found the composure to order. "I'll have the teriyaki chicken please."

Van motioned for Bryan to order before him. "I'll have the non-fried sesame chicken with white rice, please."

After writing that down, Dilandau turned a sour face to the maroon eyed man. "I'll have the grilled chicken, please. Thank you, Dilly." Handing him the menus, Van tried not to laugh as the albino grumbled as he marched away. "I guess the phrase karma's a bitch is true."

The history teacher turned to Hitomi. "Do you guys know the waiter?"

The emerald eyed woman looked at her fiancé and patted his hand. "He's just a bad man that finally got what he deserves. Just leave it at that."

A moment passed in silence before Van asked the question that startled both of them. "So, how did you do it?"

Raising one eyebrow, Bryan spoke, "Pardon? Do what?"

"Propose, of course. I may have to take notes for future reference."

A soft smile broke on Hitomi's face as she examined her ring. However, she left the retelling of the event to Bryan. "We were at the park in town…"

_-Flashback-_

_The three of them, including Chid, were sitting underneath a large tree in the park having a picnic. The day was perfect, sun shining and the weather very comfortable. At some point, Chid and Bryan_ _went off to play some game while Hitomi packed up the food and began grading some papers for school. Things were going very well for the emerald eyed female. Her job was fantastic, Chid was doing well in his second year of high school and her relationship with Bryan_ _was going into its third year. Never did she imagine she'd be so happy. After so long, Hitomi was happy being with someone who loved her._

_Suddenly, Bryan_ _fell down beside her, placing his head on her shoulder. "I thought we agreed to have a stress-free day of fun."_

_She smiled softly as she continued to read. "It's only a few papers. I like getting them back to them quickly. Where's Chid?"_

"_Some friends of his from school were in the park, so he went off with them for a bit." Slowly, he wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing the teacher closer to him. They stayed like that for awhile until Bryan_'_s question broke her away from the world of Japan. "Hitomi, are you happy?"_

_She put her papers aside and looked at him square in the eye. "What's lead you to ask this?"_

_The history teacher didn't look at her, but rather to the side. "A guy needs a little reassurance now and then. That's all. But, are you? Are you happy, being with me?"_

_A smile grew on her face as Hitomi leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "Of course I am. I'm kind of fond of you, kid."_

_Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, "You have no idea how much that means to me." Before she could say anything more, Bryan_ _shifted so that he was now on one knee gazing into her emerald eyes. Confusion was written all over her face, but he would not give her a chance to speak. He took her hands in his and spoke. "I have never felt this way about anyone before. Being with you has been the happiest time in my life. Being with you and seeing your beautiful smile gives me the feeling that I can do anything. My world was just a shadow until you came and made it worth so much more. Hitomi, I love you more than words could possibly say. And you would make me the luckiest man alive if you would answer this one question." At that moment, Bryan_ _reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Hitomi gasped as he opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "Hitomi Kanzaki, will you marry me?"_

_Eyes wide in surprise, it took her a moment to register what just happened. "Bryan, I… Are you sure? I mean, I have so much baggage in my past and I get violent and…"_

_Smiling softly, he took her hand and kissed it. "I know, and I love every bit of it. Every moment with you is an adventure, Hitomi, and I look forward to that for the rest of my life. That is, if you'll have me."_

_Tears started to fall from her eyes as she looked at him. This man before her loved her so much that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He chose her over every other woman in the world to be with. As he dried her eyes with his thumb, she nodded her head. "Yes," she whispered softly._

_Pausing, Bryan_ _leaned in to hear her. "What?"_

_Nodding her head, she repeated a little louder, "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you, Bryan Caliburn."_

_A large smile broke out on his face as he immediately captured her lips with his own. When they finally parted for air, Bryan_ _took her left hand and slipped the ring on her ring finger. "You have just made me the happiest man alive. I love you so much."_

_Soon after, Chid rejoined the couple and was ecstatic to learn his family was now complete._

_-End Flashback-_

Van sat back in his seat and let his fork fall onto the plate. Their food had come during the story. "Wow. Can't get any better than that. Congratulations."

Hitomi blushed a bit while Bryan smiled. "When she said yes, I felt like I was walking on air. And now, in about two months, we'll be married."

Nodding his head, Van gave a small smile. "I'm happy for you two. It's hard to find that special someone now a days. I wish you the best." His eyes drifted to hers as he said, "I mean it. Nothing but the best."

Putting her fork down as well, Hitomi put her napkin on the table. "I'm just going to the restroom. Be right back." Both men stood as she left the table, leaving them alone to converse.

Shrugging, Van sat back down and began to pick at his food again. "Women. I thought they always had to go in pairs."

Bryan took a moment before speaking. "You know, Hitomi has told me all about you and her."

"I'm not surprised. We were best friends since high school after all."

Shaking his head, he pressed on. "No, I mean everything." That caused the maroon eyed man to place his fork down once again and listen to the historian across the table. "I'm not going to lie. It's very… difficult sitting here with you, as I'm sure it is for you."

Sighing, Van leaned back in his seat. "I'll make this easy. Don't hurt her. She's been through too much as it is, most of it at my own foolish doing. Don't make the same mistake I did. She deserves much better than that."

"I would never hurt her."

"If you did, I'd have to kill you in the most painful way possible."

A sad smile appeared on Bryan's face. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be standing alone at the alter? You're not going to whisk her away from me on our wedding day, are you? Do I need to worry about you and what you might do?"

Van had to pause for a moment. This was unexpected, but he knew what to say. "Hitomi picked you. I only want her to be happy."

Nodding his head, the brown eyed male smiled again. "I can see how much you love her, Van."

"You have no need to worry, Bryan. I will not interfere. After all-" at that, Hitomi was spotted walking back toward the table, towards the man she chose to marry. "I've already let her go."

* * *

The door slowly opened as a man with brown eyes looked into the office. Raising one eyebrow in confusion, he walked over to the desk and poked the raven haired man in the head. The head, of course, was on the desk, causing the confusion. "Why do I get the feeling you banged your head against this desk so many times you eventually forgot why you were doing it and proceeded to take a nap instead? How do you have time to have nap time while running such a huge company anyway?"

The head slowly lifted as raven eyes looked at the man in a confused way. "What are you doing here, Gaddess?"

"Bringing you some files."

"Why?"

"Because I was told to bring up what I was working on."

The head lifted a bit more as it tilted to the side. "You work here? Since when?"

Blinking a few times, the man answered, "Since you kidnapped me from Astoria four years ago. I've been working here since the beginning."

"Really?" Confusion set in even more. "How did I not know that?"

"Van, I was the second person you asked to join up. I helped build your graphic design area. You even made me the head of the department."

The man continued to simply blink for a bit. "How did I not know you work here?"

-Sweatdrop-

Gaddess simply sighed. "I think you hit your head a little too hard there. You lost too many brain cells already."

"Oh yeah. That reminds me…" And with that, Van smacked his head against the desk again, letting it sit there as a combo sigh whimper escaped his mouth.

"Should I even ask what that's about?" A muffled sound was what Gaddess heard, causing him to lean forward a bit. "Pardon? My incomprehensible grunt is a little rusty. Try English."

Van barely lifted his head as he repeated what he had said. "I can't hate him and it sucks."

"Hate who?"

"Bryan Caliburn, the lucky bastard." Immediately, his head connected with the desk yet again.

Thinking for a moment, the light bulb went off in the graphic designer's head. "Oh, you mean Hitomi's fiancé. So you've met him. What's he like?" At this point, the man took a seat across from his friend.

Another sigh escaped his lips as Van forced himself to sit up. "He's perfect for her. Smart, nice, funny and completely devoted to her. Just looking at him says how much he loves her. He's her equal in every way. He's even sarcastic! The evil bastard! Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to smacking my head into the desk to remind myself how dumb I am."

Before that could happen, Gaddess slid his report across the desk, which then landed right where Van placed his head. "Unfortunately, I can't have you beat yourself into a coma. Those paychecks are rather nice after all."

Van looked up and shook his head in the most pitiful way. "Just let me get it out. It's the last part I have to do."

"Last part?"

"The last thing I have to do before I can completely let her go for good."

Realization hit him then as his features turned sympathetic. "Van, are you sure about this?"

A sad smile grew on the maroon eyed man's lips. "She has found her happy ending. I can't love her anymore. If I do, I can never move on and find my own ending. Also, whether you can see it or not, she needs to know I'll be alright without her before she can take her vows."

"But you're not."

His eyes closed and looked like he was great pain. "She deserves to be happy. I won't take that away from her. After the wedding, I will disappear from her life for good. It's the only thing I can do for her now." Cracking one eye open, he gazed at his friend. "You would do the same, wouldn't you?"

Shaking his head, Gaddess stood up and made his way for the door. "I don't know, Van. If it was me, I would fight to be by her side, to let her know how much she means to me. After all, she at least has the right to know what I would be willing to give up for her happiness." With one hand on the door knob, he turned back. "Does Hitomi know?" A small shake of the head was all the reply he received. "I can't tell you what to do, Van. In the end, it's all up to you and Hitomi. Do what you feel is right." With that, Gaddess returned to the outside world, leaving his employer to his troubled thoughts.

* * *

"You have reached Van Fanel's cell phone. I cannot answer the phone at the present time. Please leave your name, number and a brief message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."

Beep

"Wow. I didn't realize how boring you've become. Whatever happened to those random and funny messages you had? Anyway, if you don't know who this is, I'm sad for you. I just wanted to know if you had some free time tonight so we could chat. Let me know, okay? Bye!"

"Hi, this is Hitomi's cell. Sorry I couldn't answer your call. I probably couldn't hear it, wasn't in the room, or knew you were calling and chose not to answer. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you. Bye!"

Beep

"Hey, 'Tomi. It's me. I just got your message now, at two in the morning. Sorry for calling so late, but I figured you'd have your phone turned off. Anyway, maybe we could reschedule that chat time. Let me know what your schedule is like. Bye."

"You have reached Van Fanel's cell phone. I cannot answer the phone at the present time. Please leave your name, number and a brief message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."

Beep

"Okay, I think we're playing phone tag, not too sure. Well, I have a few things to get set for the wedding, but I thought we could try for tomorrow night? Let me know! Bye!

"Hi, this is Hitomi's cell. Sorry I couldn't answer your call. I probably couldn't hear it, wasn't in the room, or knew you were calling and chose not to answer. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you. Bye!"

Beep

"I am so sorry. I have meetings all this week that I cannot avoid. How's next week sound? Oh, and tag."

"You have reached Van Fanel's cell phone. I cannot answer the phone at the present time. Please leave your name, number and a brief message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."

Beep

"Okay, this is just getting sad. We've never had these kinds of problems with phone calls before. I have to go to Basram on Monday for a few things, but I should be back by Thursday. How does Thursday night sound? Tag."

"Hi, this is Hitomi's cell. Sorry I couldn't answer your call. I probably couldn't hear it, wasn't in the room, or knew you were calling and chose not to answer. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you. Bye!"

Beep

"You are probably either on the road right now, or still asleep. I don't know your sleeping schedule anymore, but it is noon. Thursday I have to meet a client, Friday is an engagement I cannot get out of and Saturday is devoted to Folken's project. Sunday? Tag."

"You have reached Van Fanel's cell phone. I cannot answer the phone at the present time. Please leave your name, number and a brief message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."

Beep

"I was definitely sleeping. Sunday's no good. I have to meet the minister, go over a ton of details and meet Bryan for dinner. Monday? Tag."

"Hi, this is Hitomi's cell. Sorry I couldn't answer your call. I probably couldn't hear it, wasn't in the room, or knew you were calling and chose not to answer. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you. Bye!"

Beep

"Tag, you're it. I think we're just too busy right now. I'll keep trying though. What about Saturday? This is not working too well, is it?"

* * *

"Tell me, are you in the habit of lying?"

Van looked over at him as he placed the phone back in its cradle. "What do you mean?"

Shaking his head, the male took a seat across from him. "Everything is under control here. The place is not swamped with work as you are implying. Why are you avoiding her?"

Sighing, Van leaned back in his chair. "It's not what you think, Folken."

The silver haired male sat up a bit. "Oh, it's probably exactly what I think. You're avoiding her so you don't have to face your issues."

Shaking his head, the maroon eyed man gave a small smile. "Like I said, it isn't want you think."

"Regardless, you're being a fool."

"You wouldn't be the only one to think so. Why can't you guys see my reasons?"

"Because you're a fool."

A small laugh came from his lips. "That's not a good argument."

Folken stood up and began pacing around the office. "Van Slanzar de Fanel, you are the biggest moron I've ever seen. You're just going to sit back and watch as the woman you love gets married to someone else?" He paused a moment before adding, "I can't even think of a word to describe how incredibly idiotic you are."

Van simply held up a hand to quiet his older brother. "Save your rant and limited vocabulary. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you now? Because it's obvious to everyone around you that you're making the biggest mistake of your life."

"I already made that mistake and I have to live with that. I'm moving on, Folken. I'm letting her go for good."

He paused his pacing to stare at his brother. "Did you ever think about what Hitomi wanted?"

"She wants Bryan."

"Did you give her another choice?"

That caused him to think. "What do you mean? Bryan is who she wants."

"You never told her. How does she know he's who she wants if she doesn't know how you feel?" Folken began his pacing again. Apparently, his brother truly was a moron among morons. "Van, do you love her?"

Standing up at this point, Van glared at his brother. "Of course I do. That's why I'm doing this. You think I like the fact she's with some other guy that's pretty much perfect for her, who loves her without reservations? It's killing me. However, I was the one who didn't see what was right in front of me, I was the one who screwed everything up, and I was the one that didn't figure things out until too late. I will not be selfish and keep her from a happy ending. It's the least I can do for her now. So get off my back!"

Folken simply sighed, turned and headed for the door. "I cannot even look at you right now. You're making the biggest mistake of your life. You had a second chance and you won't even bother to acknowledge it. I just-" Instead of finishing his thoughts, the elder Fanel shook his head and left, leaving his brother with his solitude.

* * *

"You think she'd mind if I wore all black to the wedding?"

Robin nearly choked on her sweet tea as she glanced across the table at her partner in crime. "It might cause you to stand out, just a tad, especially since you're a bride's maid and the color is a very pale green."

The blond sat back and sighed. "You and I both know this wedding is wrong."

The shorter female with glasses sighed. "Nothing we can do about it. Hitomi made her choice and Van's a moron. Was he this dumb when you two dated?"

Danielle laughed and took a sip of her coke. "If he was, I didn't notice. Then again, he was already in love with Hitomi, so I must have given him a lot of leeway."

"That must be it." Stuffing a fry in her mouth, Robin thought things over for a bit. "Have you met the guy?"

Instantly there was squirming. "Kind of…"

Raising one eyebrow, the dark haired woman questioned. "What do you know about him?"

"Well, I actually went to high school with the guy."

"So he's our age?"

"No. He's two years older."

"Go on."

A sigh escaped her lips. "Bryan Caliburn, the most desired male in my whole school. Very smart, funny, sarcastic, athletic, able to calm down the most hysterical or pissed off person…"

"Ah, so you two had a thing?"

Eyes flew wide open as Danielle nearly choked on air, which takes some skill. "No! Well, we thought about it, but by the time we admitted to liking each other, he was in college and I had no intention of having that kind of long distant relationship. Besides, I had my eyes set on Palas University by then. Kind of far from Fried College after all."

"So there's a chance he might still have feelings for you?"

A small laugh was heard before she answered, "Doubtful. It wouldn't matter anyway. I have Gaddess now and there's no one else I'd rather have."

Robin laughed. "So you two are done fighting?"

"We don't fight. We have disagreements that results in me avoiding him for a certain length of time."

"Same difference."

It was at this point a fry magically flew through the air and landed on Robin's forehead, magically, of course. She simply picked it up and popped it into her mouth.

"You know, now that I think about it, a lot of people from the past are popping out of no where."

Raising one eyebrow, the shorter one questioned, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Lin of course. Then Eriol and now Bryan."

"You knew Eriol too?"

"Of course. He was Bryan's roommate and best friend in college after all."

Robin shook her head. "This is getting complicated. So you're telling me Bryan knew Hitomi before she knew him?"

"From what I remember, Eriol was very interested in Hitomi from the beginning. I do believe they went out a few times, but I'm not sure. Bryan did say he was attracted to her, but because of Eriol, he avoided the girl. He didn't know her name or anything though. He didn't want to because that would lead to him wanting her more. Rule number seven: don't touch your friend's interest, or something like that. That's what Mila always said."

"How is Mila?"

"Very good. Using the Good Word to help people."

"Which is exactly what she wanted to do."

"Anyway, so Bryan was crushing on Hitomi while Eriol was going out with her. When Hitomi broke up with Eriol because she, quote on quote, had feelings for someone else, who we all know, Bryan rarely saw her again. He did graduate before her and everything too."

Holding her head in her hands, Robin sighed. "So Bryan fell for Hitomi in college, lost her, then found her all over again?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Sounds like a fairy tale."

"It's something alright. Don't get me wrong. I like the guy. He's really a great person. He just fell for the wrong girl. Van and Hitomi belong together, not Bryan and Hitomi."

Suddenly, Robin burst out laughing, leaving the blond more than slightly confused. Finally, she calmed down and explained. "So, you and Bryan were a couple, broke up and hooked up with a broken up couple?"

"We were never a couple."

"You two have more in common now. Maybe you should rethink that whole Bryan thing. Maybe you two are the ones that should be together. Perhaps this is really your story of unrequited love that took so long to finally come together."

Blinking a few times, Danielle reached over and tapped her on the forehead. "You're a sick sick child."

"You have to admit. On some level, it's funny."

"Only on your level, sicko."

"It's still a level."

Rolling her eyes, the taller one picked up the check and went to pay while the shorter one continued to chuckle. The world really was a lot smaller than they thought.

* * *

A sigh escaped his lips as he took a sip of the drink in his hand. His mind just could not grasp what was going on in the lives surrounding him. Disgusted, he took another sip. 'People are stupid.'

Two arms twisted around his back. "You look deep in thought."

A small smile came on his lips as he rested his arms on top of hers. "I've been doing a lot of that lately. Sorry."

Lips were pressed against the side of his neck before she spoke, "if I didn't like your deep thinking, I wouldn't have married you. Thinking of Van again?"

Folken sighed. "Nothing gets past you. What would you suggest, Naria?"

The said woman walked around to face her husband. "If I had gotten this is a letter, I might have strangled myself. What is he doing now that is causing your over thinking rampage?"

"Avoiding her."

Thinking for a moment, she nodded. "I can see why. He believes he is helping both himself and her. If she doesn't know how he feels, she won't have to face her past and compare it to what she has with this Bryan guy. In a way, it's as if he refuses to have her relive what he did to her. It's a sweet, though idealistic, point of view."

Folken sighed once again. "But he loves her still. This is his second chance and he refuses to even think on it."

"Ah, but he isn't thinking of himself right now. He's thinking of Hitomi."

"Wouldn't that cause him to do something?"

"He is doing something by not doing anything." Seeing that he didn't understand, the advice columnist sat down and motioned for him to do the same. "By not doing what everyone is telling him to do, Van's giving Hitomi what she has wanted. She gets her fairy tale happy ending despite all that has happened. He loves her enough to let her go be happy without him. It's a very brave and painful experience. He's being selfless, putting her before himself. If that's not love, I don't know what is. Also, if you think about it, is that not what Hitomi has done for years? It's like he's putting himself in her shoes, seeing how she has felt all these years by keeping quiet. Do you understand?"

Nodding slightly, he leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. "Now I know why you get the big bucks."

Laughing, Naria smacked him lightly on the arm. "Yay college. I have to say, even though I understand why, I don't know if that is the path I would advise. In the end, it's in his hands. Be a good big brother and help him with his choice."

"Do I have to?"

"If you don't, it will just be so much harder for him. Help him by being a good boy."

Folken thought this over for a bit before taking another sip of his drink. "I'll do what I can. That's all I can promise. Excuse me." With that, Folken got up and left the room to ponder some more, leaving Naria to stare after him. A frown made its way onto her face as she sighed. 'Poor Van.'

* * *

It was late. Why was he still awake? Probably because the bed he was using wasn't the most comfortable in the world. It was too bad he couldn't stay with his fiancée, but that was alright. They would soon have the rest of their lives to be together. That thought alone put a huge smile on his face.

The knock on the door startled him. Who would be by at this time of night? Hearing the person knock again told him they weren't going away any time soon. Sighing, he threw off the covers and made his way over to the door. Without bothering with the peep hole, he opened the door and made his eyes adjust to the new light.

"Hello Bryan."

He knew that voice. He knew the person who owned that voice. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Aren't you going to let me in? That's a bit rude."

With a sigh, he opened the door a bit more, inviting the person in. After they entered, he looked up and down the hallway before closing the door and disappearing into his room with the strange new guest.

* * *

--Sorry it's so choppy and for the long wait. It was hard enough to get this out as it was. I do believe the next chapter is the last, unless you want an epilogue or something. Not too sure yet. It will take awhile, of course. Blame college for that. In fact, I worked on this instead of working on papers. So be grateful! lol 

I do have a forum now, so if you have any questions, you can ask me in there. I will check it now and then and answer what I can without giving anything away.

The story's almost over! Will Van snap out of it and fight for Hitomi? Will Hitomi marry Bryan? Who was this new stranger that's now in Bryan's room? Who the heck is the mysterious writer? Will I ever get a chapter out without a five month wait? Find out next time on the final episode of **_There's Not A Thing I Would Change_**. Same bat time, same bat channel! (Sorry, I had caffeine.) Ja ne!--


	17. A Love for All Lifetimes

To my dear readers,

It is my sincerest wish that the final chapter of this story is one that will truly bring this circle to a close. You have been able to see these characters grow from the age of fifteen to the age of thirty, going from teenage years to the time of adulthood. This story is very close to my heart as I hope it was to yours. And now, without further delay, I present to you the final chapter of **_There's Not A Thing I Would Change_**.

* * *

_**Chapter Sixteen: A Love for All Lifetimes**_

She was nervous. Of course she was nervous. There was no reason not to be. The fact that she was pacing back and forth in front of the door told anyone around her that was so oh so very nervous. Taking a deep breath, she stopped the pacing, raised a hand and knocked on the large oak door, waiting for the signal to enter. When the man responded, she pushed open the door and walked in, immediately moving towards the chair opposite his desk. Wringing out her hands for a bit, she spoke while having her head down, "Why haven't you asked me yet?"

The man raised one eyebrow and turned away from his computer. "Asked you about what?"

Rolling her eyes, she shot up from the chair. "Come on, Van. We both know what I'm talking about."

Standing up as well, the raven haired man went over to the woman. "Calm down. What is this about, Maaya? I haven't seen you this worked up since… ever. What's wrong?"

Sighing, she silently counted to ten before looking him in the eye. "Why haven't you asked me how long I've known?"

A small smile broke onto his lips. "Is that all the fuss it about?"

"Don't just brush me aside, Van. Why haven't you asked?"

Shaking his head, Van leaned against his desk. "Maybe I just didn't want to know. You and I both know you wouldn't have told me even if you could go back and change things. It was not your place to tell me. Besides, I'm sure Hitomi told you not to say anything. It's alright, Maaya."

"Somehow I don't think it is." Sitting back in the chair, the older woman let out a sigh as she looked at the boy, no the man she had known for fifteen years.

"Well, now that you're in here…" Maaya knew that tone and let a soft smile play on her face. He would never seek her out and ask her what was on his mind. She simply looked at him, urging him to ask his question. "What do you think of him?"

She had been expecting this one. "Bryan's a good guy. He will treat her right, and make her happy. He truly loves my daughter and would do anything for her." She wasn't blind. Maaya could see how her words were hurting him, yet knew he would want the truth. "Van, there was no reason for me not to approve of him. He's like the exact kind of man I wanted for her." Taking a breath, she continued, "I heard you met him a while back. I imagine you came to the same conclusion I have?"

With a slight nod, he responded in a sad tone, "He's perfect for her."

Letting a heavy sigh escape her lips, Maaya rose up out of the chair and made her way to the door. Before exiting, she spoke, "I think everyone would understand if you weren't there, Van."

"You know I can't do that."

Nodding, Maaya turned to him with a sad look in her eyes. Opening her mouth, she slowly shut it and left the office.

* * *

There was a loud knock on the door. Why the heck was someone knocking on the door? Why was someone knocking on the door very loudly to the point where one had to see who it was they were about to kill for knocking on the door so very loudly? There was much grumbling as an obviously not awake creature came out of one of the back rooms, blanket still firmly connected with their head in an attempt to hide from the obnoxiously loud knocking. Why oh why was the knocking not stopping? Did whoever was on the other side of the door know just how evil that knocking was?

Finally, the blanket creature threw open the door and did their best to sound as angry as they would have been if they had been fully awake. "Do you have any idea what time is it? And yet you persist to beat down this simple wooden door with that knocking of Satan? I hope you burn and rot in hell."

There was only a brief pause. "And good morning to you too, sunshine. Or should I say good afternoon?"

"Say it to oak." With that and a good flick, the door was thus slammed in the visitor's face. Before the creature could get too far away, the voice on the other side spoke. "You do realize this means I get to continue with my obnoxious knocking until you open up again, right?"

Blanket thing stopped mid-walk, turned and flung open the door once again. "I hate you."

"So what else is new?"

"Get in here so I can kill you without any witnesses."

Clucking a bit, the person walked in as the door quickly closed. "You know, if I didn't know you better, I might find it odd that you are just getting up at three in the afternoon. Good thing I know better then."

Grumbling, the reply was, "if you knew me, why oh why are you waking me so early?"

"Because it's three in the afternoon and I have some time."

The walking blanket was silent briefly. "I really do hate you, Van."

The said man simply laughed. "Come on. You're the one that told me you wanted to talk. Get that thing off your head and wake up. What the heck were you doing all night anyway?"

"Sleeping?"

"You? Probably not." With that, Van quickly grabbed part of the blanket and pulled hard, revealing very messy blonde hair and angry slash tired brown eyes. There was a sad attempt and retrieving the large warm cloth, but to no avail. "But… but… sleepy…"

Sighing, the maroon eyed man walked into the living room and sat down. "Now, come over here, sit down and tell me what you have to tell me so I can get back to sane people." When the person did not move, he continued, "I'll give back the blanket if you do." To emphasize his point, he dangled the comfort object a bit.

The blonde glared a bit, wobbled over and plopped onto the couch, bringing her legs underneath her. With an angry pout, she glared again and held up a curved finger. "Too sleepy to make good death threat. Do you know how valuable sleep is?"

As she made an attempt for the object of her desire, Van quickly pulled it away. "You talk, then blanket." When she began to pout, he pulled it away. "The quicker you talk, the quicker you go back to sleep."

The glare continued as the pout grew. "I really do hate you."

"You know, I do have to get back to work at some point. I could just walk out with this lovely blanket… unless you wake up a bit and tell me what you said was just so important for me to know. Make things easier for yourself, Danielle, and just talk."

Said female groaned a bit. "I didn't think you'd come so damn early."

"It's three in the afternoon!"

"Yeah, well if you didn't get to sleep until eleven this morning, you'd think three is early too!" Stretching a bit, she yawned and scratched an itch she had on her back. "I have some background info on Bryan you might want to know. That, and I'm supposed to beat you up for avoiding Hitomi. Why do you have to act like such a guy?"

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Van fell back into the couch. "I am not avoiding her."

"Liar." When he looked over at her, she shrugged. "At least I know why you're doing it. If anyone asks, tell them I hit you a few times, okay?"

A small smile stretched on his face. "Of course. By the way," at that, he looked around the apartment real quick, "where is that guy of yours?"

Danielle raised one eyebrow in confusion. "At work… you know, where you work…"

It was Van's turn to be confused. "What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you forgot Gaddes works for you yet again!"

There was a slight pause as Van shifted slightly in his seat. "So, how bout them Yankees?"

-Sweatdrop-

Shaking her head, she sighed. "Why do you repeatedly have to prove how mentally not there you are?"

Clearing his throat, Van tried a different approach. "How do you know anything about this Bryan guy?"

"Let's just say I have my sources. Now do you want to know or not?"

Van sat there for a moment, debating with himself. Whatever she had to say probably would confirm how perfect Bryan was for Hitomi. The more he heard about this guy, the more physical pain he wanted to inflict. "All I need to know is if he's dangerous. Would he hurt her?"

Danielle released a tiny sigh. "Of course not. Bryan has always been a caring and devoted man."

"Then that's all I need to know." At that, Van stood up and made his way to the door, blanket in hand. "You know, you should try a phone call next time. Could of saved a ton on gas."

The blond immediately, or as quickly as she could in her tired state, got up and attempted to follow him. "So you don't want to know anything about him? Nothing at all?"

With his hand on the door, Van smiled softly, "The only thing I needed to know was if he loved her and if she loved him. Now, if you excuse me, I have some work I need to get back to."

There was but a brief pause. "I'm not gonna tell you what to do. You're a big boy. You can take care of yourself. But-"

She was cut off by her soft comfort object being tossed at her. "It will all be okay, once the wedding takes place." The maroon eyed man opened the door and made his way to leave.

"So you're really not going to tell her, are you?" With the slight shake of his head, she received her answer. "If a thing is not spoken of, even those closet to you, who you love, will assume that it doesn't exist."

He paused in his attempts of escape. "You write that?"

A smile grazed her lips. "I wish. It's from Joyce Carol Oates' Rape, A Love Story." (A/N: I do not own that)

"Isn't that an oxymoron?"

"I think it's just oddly worded. Still, the quote works."

The male smiled softly. "Some things just don't need to be said."

"Like I said, it's your life. You're the one that's going to have to live with the choices you make. I'm just asking that you think this through. Either way, you know where I live if you want to chat."

With a small nod, the maroon eyed man left the apartment, closing the door behind him. The woman sighed, then took her blanket into the back room and shut the door. A few moments past when… "CRAP! NOW I'M AWAKE!! DAMN YOU, FANEL!!!!"

* * *

A small bell sounded nearby, alerting all within that someone had at the very least opened the door. The person standing there began looking around the room in search of someone in particular. Suddenly seeing them, she walked over and smiled before taking a seat. "Sorry I'm late."

The other female simply returned the smile. "I took the liberty of ordering for you. I do hope that's alright."

"Of course. By now, you should know how I take my coffee. Now, should we begin with the polite conversation or just dive into what we're really here to chat about?"

A laugh broke forth from the woman with long raven hair, her ruby eyes twinkling in amusement. "You always like getting right down to business, Maaya."

Leaning back in her seat, the brown haired, emerald-eyed female shrugged. "I just have a very demanding boss who'll have my head if he ever finds out I've been talking with his mother for… how long has it been now, Varie?"

"Fifteen years now." Sighing, the matriarch of the Fanel line picked up the coffee cup that had magically appeared in front of her. "Can you believe how much time has flown by since they first met? I had hoped to have at least one grandchild by now."

"You and me both."

Smiling, Varie looked at her dear friend. "Ah, but you won't have to wait too much longer. Hitomi will be getting married soon. In a month and a half, right? I have it written down at home." With that, she took a sip of her hazelnut-flavored coffee.

A look of sadness crossed Maaya's features. "Yes, only so much time left."

Sensing the change in mood, her ruby eyes softened as she put the coffee down. "We haven't really talked about this guy, have we? What do you truly think?"

"Van hasn't said anything?"

"Since when does a son confide in his mother when he's older than ten?"

"Good point." Taking a sip of her raspberry flavored coffee, Maaya took her time answering. "To be honest, Bryan is a very good guy. He's almost everything she could hope for."

"But?"

Emerald eyes glanced across the table to stare into her companion's orbs. "You know. I knew it when I first met Van, and you with Hitomi."

A small nod came from Varie. "It's different with us. We already found our soul mates, so it's easier for us to see the signs within our own children. I saw it with Folken and Naria as well. Merle has yet to find her soul's other half. I thought I saw it with Kenji, but they were not really together enough for that."

The brown haired woman chuckled. "I thought the same thing, but it was a bit… different. It was a bond, but I'm not so sure that it was meant to be. How is Merle doing, by the way? And Folken and Naria?"

"Merle will be home soon, actually. She wants to be around a bit before attending the wedding. Folken has told me he and Naria have been talking about having children. He assures me that I can spoil them all I want."

Pausing a moment, Maaya cautiously asked, "Have you noticed anything…similar with Naria and Merle?"

Varie nodded. "I think they might be related. From what I remember, Naria mentioned her uncle and his family had died a long time ago. The family had not been on speaking terms since she was little, so she didn't know them that well, only that she had had a female cousin."

"And of course they haven't figured it out yet, have they?"

"Of course. It seems those who have the family name Fanel lose all common sense and the ability to see the obvious." Both women laughed, knowing there was nothing to be said on that. "Still, it would have been nice."

Nodding slightly, Maaya looked at Varie, fully comprehending what those words truly meant. "It would."

* * *

The room was completely filled with smoke by the time he got there. Well, considering this was a pool hall, the idea of smoke was not too farfetched. Sighing, the raven-haired man made his way inside and sat down on the stool by the bar. After waiting a few moments, the bartender walked over and glanced at him. "Looks like you have a lot on your mind. Need help sorting through the mess in your head?"

"Only if you get me a drink first."

Smiling, the keeper of liquids moved to grab what he already knew the guy wanted. "You might be one of the few people I know that would rather have a coke than alcohol in a bar."

"What can I say? I prefer being odd." Waiting a bit, he took the drink and held it in his hand. "I don't know, Eddie. I think I'm surrounded by too much estrogen. I need a fellow guy's point of view."

The said man pulled up a stool from behind the counter and sat down. "Hit me. The office is still open for a little bit."

Taking a sip, the man thought for a minute. "Let's keep it simple, cause it's a bit complicated. This guy had a female best friend. He fell for her but she's engaged to someone else. He thinks she loves him too, but he doesn't say anything. Think he should keep his mouth shut or tell her how he feels?"

"Keep his mouth shut." When he saw his friend wished for him to elaborate, Eddie continued, "He missed his chance. All he can do now is screw up the relationship he has going. It would probably be too little too late and she's probably on too good of a connection with her fiancé…well, I would hope, so she would tell him and it would make things awkward when they were all in the same location."

"Would it make a difference if everyone around him keeps saying she does love him but is afraid?" When his response was a raised eyebrow, he added, "I'm trying to keep it simple, but it is, like I said, complicated."

"Well, obviously, the worse that the couple's relationship is, the obvious but not always correct thing would be to go out and say it, but its still a very fragile situation. I mean, it would completely depend on how trusting she is with him, cause if she's totally trusting with the best friend, she's probably already put him in 'gay guy' category and would once again just cause drama. She thinks of him way too much in a non-sexual way."

Shaking his head, the customer sighed. "I have been around girls too much. I actually thought of the girlie, romantic perspective."

At that, the bartender laughed, "The girlie/romantic perspective? What, that had the guy waiting for the fiancé to mess up and then coming in and saving the day and carrying her off on a white horse???"

Chuckling, he sipped his coke before replying, "No, the type in movies where the guy tells her how he feels before the wedding and she picks him instead of the fiancé. That's the general view the guy's getting at the moment."  
"He definitely can't do that one though." At that, he took a swig of the beer he had with him. Being a bartender did have its perks after all.

"And why not?"

Sighing, he released he would have to explain things in detail. "Because she could want him, but could not want to disappoint people and waste everything that people set up for her already. She would say no even if she wanted to say yes."

"Even if she really did love the guy more than the fiancé?" This conversation was getting interesting, considering this was a totally outsider's perspective.  
Thinking for a moment, Eddie replied, "it would add a reason to not do it. See, you never wanna set yourself up with anymore then the least amount of obstacles needed. Think about it. Would you rather drive down the parkway all alone or do that same stretch in traffic? This guy has to eliminate all the traffic he can if he does choose to, and as shitty and unromantic as it seems, but shouldn't tell her."  
Nodding his head, he asked, "so he's better off finding someone else rather than take the risk?"

"Well, yes, but if he does decide to take it, he has to take all the angles that would make it more difficult for her then it has to be and get rid of as many as possible." Taking a break to have a taste of his beer, the barkeep went on, "if he wants to pursue this, he has to attempt to get the two of them into a vacuum, not an actual one but the kind where there is nothing but him and her involved, before he does."  
The man with raven hair thought this over. "That makes sense." A few moments of silence passed between them before he spoke again. "What about the fiancé? What should he do if he suspects the guy loves, for lack of a better term, his girl?"

Waving his hand in dismissal, Eddie shook his head, "that just becomes situational and would be completely based upon assumptions because you'd have to actually have him do it and the woman's reaction."

"What about before it gets to that?"  
He shook his head again. "There really is nothing preventative he can do other then threaten to kick his ass, and violence really doesn't go anywhere. He would actually help the guy's cause by beating him up. His reactions could be a thousand different things depending on how the girl reacts."

The customer sat back to think things over. It all made perfect sense. "Why take such a risk when it's easier to stay silent? I get it." Before the bartender could say anything, the man finished off his drink and reached into his pocket to extract a bill. "This should cover it, the drink as well as the conversation."

Surprised, Eddie looked at the money, then at his friend. "Leaving already?"

He received a slight nod. "There's someone who's waiting for me. Maybe next time I'll take you down in some pool." Standing up, he collected his things and gave a small smile. "Night and thanks."

As he was walking away, Eddie had once last thing to say. "You know, the only one who can decide whether she's worth the risk or not is the guy." Finishing off his drink, the bartender turned and looked at his friend again. "Tell her I said hey."

With a simple nod, the man turned and disappeared into the night.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Van sat back in his chair and went through his mental checklist. The accounts he had been looking over were all practically done, at least for tonight. Maaya left early today due to some "outside work" that had to be attended to quickly. Noriko's account had been done since yesterday. Her and Izark's engagement party was next week, which of course he had to go to. After all, if it weren't for him hiring the innocent girl from far away, they never would have met.

Mentally congratulating himself on a rare find, Van removed his glasses and stared straight up to the ceiling. He tried to concentrate on a particular account so as to not let his mind drift to matters that he disliked dwelling about. However, a person's mind is sometimes stronger than his will, as was the case this night. Hitomi's face appeared in his mind's eye, causing him to contemplate on the situation once again. Was it wiser to keep silent, as he had already settled on? Or would his silence cause a massive amount of regret later in life? He dared not voice these thoughts to anyone, already knowing what they would say. No, this was decision he had to reach on his own, no matter what the outcome.

In order to stall from his mental questioning, Van turned back to his computer, deciding to break a small rule of his and sign onto his screen name. A thirty-year-old man still using his college screen name seemed a little odd, but who defines what is odd and what is normal in this world anymore? Besides, it would be interesting to see who also was online. A small smile spread on his face as his buddy list began to form. Apparently he wasn't the only one to still use their name. Clicking on one name, he immediately felt the need to chat…

AngelWings: Oooooooh, I'm telling on you!

A few moments went by before he saw the person was typing a response. This was going to be fun…

Snooptopian: I have no idea what youre talkin about… please at least tell me your home by now…

AngelWings: You know, for a writer, you aren't very up on your writing skills. There's a 'g' at the end of talking.

Snooptopian: and an ' between you and re. what's your point?

AngelWings: slacker

Snooptopian: let me guess, you**''''''**re bored out of your mind and feel the need to be verbally assaulted through the interent

Snooptopian: internet

AngelWings: close enough

Snooptopian: works for me. any specific topic or do i get to run with it?

AngelWings: I'm afraid to let you run with it…

Snooptopian: so that's a yes. okay, what can little old me use to torment you once again?

AngelWings: Please don't make me bleed this time.

Snooptopian: your fault for being stupid

Snooptopian: anyway… i have a quote from you.

Snooptopian: or for you… whatever sounds better or right in that statement

AngelWings: you're a been out of it tonight

Snooptopian: you try staying up till 6:30 in the am at the computer screen and see how 'in it' you are P

Snooptopian: also, smart ass, it's either "you're a bit out of it" or "you've been out of it"… pick one.

Snooptopian: anyway, it's from hamlet

AngelWings: cause you know I happen to carry a copy with me at all times. Why are you reading Hamlet anyway?

Snooptopian: cuz i can. you can find it at sparknotes. it's act three, scene one, end of line 114-122, then shift to 150-161

AngelWings: I don't think I can read so much.

Snooptopian: i feel sorry for you. now go read.

Sighing, the raven haired man pulled up the internet and did as he was told, finding the passages she spoke, or rather typed, of. When he found them, he simply rolled his eyes. "Between Hamlet and Ophelia, huh?" He turned back to the box he had been using.

AngelWings: very funny.

Snooptopian: prove to me you read them… copy paste dude

AngelWings: who says dude anymore?

Snooptopian: apparently i do.

AngelWings: point taken. Hang on…

AngelWings: it doesn't work so well… hang on. I'll type it out…

AngelWings: **Hamlet**: …I did love you once.  
**Ophelia  
**Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.

**Hamlet  
**You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock, but we shall relish of it. I loved you not.

**Ophelia  
**I was the more deceived.

Snooptopian: and the next part?

AngelWings: **Ophelia  
**Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!-  
The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword,  
Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,  
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,  
Th' observed of all observers, quite, quite down!  
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,  
That sucked the honey of his music vows,  
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason  
Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;  
That unmatched form and feature of blown youth  
Blasted with ecstasy. Oh, woe is me,  
T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!

Snooptopian: what do you think?

AngelWings: that Shakespeare didn't know how to speak English.

Snooptopian: baka

AngelWings: what about the quotes?

Snooptopian: what about them? cant i send you something nice and pretty and not have an ulterior motive?

AngelWings: nope

Snooptopian: you know me too well

Snooptopian: just think on em. I have work to get back to…

Snooptopian: go home and sleep. you need it P

AngelWings: night

Snooptopian: see ya!

At that, she signed off, leaving him alone in his office with quotes from Shakespeare. 'Why did he never speak English? Let's see what this actually means then…'

* * *

A loud creak streamed into the room, being the only life for that one moment of time. Slowly, footsteps followed the noise before a door slammed shut. A groan was heard as a disheveled Van walked into his apartment and immediately headed for his bedroom. Sometimes, the day was just too draining and demanding. Thank whatever higher power there was that his bed was very comfortable. Quickly changing out of his work attire, he slipped on a white tank top and some plaid pajama pants, which then lead to flopping onto his bed and into a relaxing slumber.

It was all perfect. The air was at the perfect temperature. The blankets covered him perfectly and the pillows were as fluffy as they needed to be. The whole sleeping experience was absolutely perfect…. which just meant something had to ruin it. That came all too soon in the form of a knock on the door. It wasn't like one of those "knock knock" ones either, but rather one of those obnoxious ones that kept knocking until one just had to answer the door. A loud groan was heard as he forced himself away from his comfort area and made his way to the door, not even bothering with the light. Hopefully it was just a mistake and they were looking for the guy next door or something. Then sleepy time could come again.

After unlocking the large wooden object and pulling it back, Van woke up quickly when he saw who was at his door. "Hitomi?"

Sure enough, the said woman was standing there in a black tank top and jeans, looking as if she got dressed in a hurry. Without saying anything, she pushed forward and walked into his apartment to begin pacing back and forth. Van took that as a sign to close the door and kiss his good night sleep goodbye. "Should I even ask what's going on or are you just going to tell me?"

Finally, she stopped her pacing and turned to face him, a mixture of emotions on her face. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and began her pacing once more. After repeating this action three more times, Van had had enough. "Hitomi! Please, for the love of my beauty sleep, tell me what's up."

Stopping in place, Hitomi took a deep breath before beginning. "He was engaged before."

Blinking a few times, the maroon eyed male tried to compute this. "Come again?"

"Bryan. He was engaged before." At that, she sat down on the large brown chair with a tiny thump, eyes still a bit wide.

Wiping a hand over his face, he moved over to the couch and sat down, leaning his head on the back of it. "So?"

"What the hell do you mean 'so'?? The man I'm going to marry was nearly married before!" It looked like she would get up and start pacing again at any minute.

Sighing, Van looked over at her. "So what? He's not married now, so what does it matter?"

Now she got up. "Oh, I don't know. Possibly the fact that one of his ex-fiancée's is coming to the wedding!" Let the pacing begin.

Sitting up, the raven-haired man was completely confused. "Wait, one of?"

"Yeah. As in more than one. As in, actually, two. Meaning Bryan Caliburn was engaged two times, count em, twice before meeting me!" Back and forth she went, probably putting a hole in his floor. "So, if he had two others before me, what the hell happened with them? Did he dump them? Did they dump him? Did one of them die a horrible and gruesome death? Or was he engaged to both of them at the same time and one found out about the other? What if one of them was really his long lost cousin or something?!?"

Getting up, Van caught the emerald-eyed girl before she continued on her mental track. "First off, you have no idea how ridiculous you sound right now. It's not even amusing. Second, did you even ask him what happened or did you just run over here without the whole story? Third, why don't you just tell him having his ex at the wedding would be a bit uncomfortable?" Seeing her eyes widen in realization, he rolled his as he walked away from her and back to the couch. "Jeez, why did you have to wake me up for this crap? He's your fiancé, the guy you want to spend the rest of your life with, and you can't even talk to the guy? That's just sad." Grabbing a nearby pillow, he placed it behind his head and leaned back.

Hitomi walked over to stand in front of him, grabbing the pillow away to smack him with it. "You don't have to be a bastard about it! I have a month left before the wedding and he drops this on me? I thought I could come talk to my friend about it. I am oh so sorry to ruin your precious sleep!" With that, she threw the pillow at him and began to storm out.

Groaning, from beneath the fluffy object, Van spoke again, "Tomi, come back and sit down."

Grabbing the door handle, she called back. "Oh, far be it for me to keep you from slumber land."

"Don't make me have to get up and come after you."

"Don't bother!"

Just as she opened the door, a larger male hand closed it. Turning slightly, she was a bit shocked to see Van right behind her. Apparently he went to ninja school or something because she hadn't even heard him move. Sighing, maroon eyes bore into emerald ones as he asked, "please, go sit down." Reluctantly, and after a moment of thinking, she did as he requested, placing herself in the chair she had previously occupied, waiting for him to lock the door and take his seat again. "Now, what's the _real_ issue?"

"Real issue?" All he had to do was cast that knowing look to make her spill her guts. "I'm very nervous, Van. I mean, it's not just the wedding. Why didn't he tell me sooner? I have enough on my plate as it is and really no one to talk to about it."

"What are you talking about? You have me."

Rolling her eyes, she leaned back. "Oh really? When? Every time I call, I get your voice mail."

"I have been a bit busy lately."

"Sure you have."

Raising one eyebrow, he cast a look her way. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Countering his look with a glare of her own, she faced him head on. "It means I know you've been avoiding me. You just use work as an excuse."

Stuttering a bit, Van tried to deny it. "T-that's not true."

"You're a horrible liar, Van Fanel, and I don't appreciate being lied to, so quit it." Both were silent for a moment before she spoke again. "If you have a problem with me, just tell me. It's pointless to simply pretend nothing happened."

That's when he got up and walked towards the kitchen. "I don't have a problem."

Oh, but she wasn't about to let him escape the confrontation that had to occur. Hopping up, she went after him. "Oh really? Then why do you refuse to talk with me? Why are you avoiding me, and why, when I'm right here to talk as friend, are you pushing me away?"

Spinning around, Van looked at her with anger in his eyes. "Hi-" He paused in order to gain some control over what he was about to say, casting his eyes to the floor. Hitomi had never seen this side of him before, and she definitely didn't like it. With his hand on the edge of the counter, he calmed himself before answering. "Hitomi, I have been busy lately. And, to be quite honest, I'm still not sure exactly how you want me to act around you."

"What do you-?"

"Just what I said. Tell me what you want."

Confused, she shook her head. "Van?"

With his head still lowered, he repeated, "tell me what you want." Hearing nothing but silence, he slammed his hand down on the counter and looked her square in the eye. "What do you want from me, Hitomi?!?"

It would be lying to say she wasn't slightly afraid of him at that moment, but she had been through too much to let his anger keep her away. "I want the truth."

An eerie and uncharacteristic chuckle came from him as Van shook his head. "No you don't."

"Yes, I do. What else would I be here for?"

"That's what I'm trying to understand."

Pausing a moment, she asked softly, "Van, what's wrong?"

"Damn it, Hitomi!" This time, she let him walk towards the couch to cool off. Once there, he turned around. "There's nothing wrong, okay? Why don't you just go talk to Bryan? He's probably worried sick about you."

"I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

Shaking his head, he replied, "That didn't stop you before."

Suddenly, it dawned on her. "Are you kidding me? You're the one that used me like some sick toy!"

"And I regretted that every single day, but I didn't run away from it!"

Coming forward, she went to him. "You betrayed everything between us for some cheap ass job. What was I suppose to do?"

"You could have at least heard what I had to say!" Try as he might, Van could not avoid this argument any longer. "Yes, I wronged you, but you could have at least listened to me!"

"What was there to say? Oh, sorry you pimped me out?"

"It wasn't like that."

"Then what was it??"

Both their tempers were flaring at this point, which was never a good idea. "He left me no choice. It was just suppose to be something innocent and simple."

"Right. Tell me, would you have gotten a bonus if I let him sleep with me, or did that go without saying?"

"I never would have allowed that and you know it!"

"I _thought_ I knew you, but apparently I was sadly mistaken."

Stepping to get right in her face, he replied, "Do you honestly believe I would have let him go anywhere near you if I had known what he was capable of?"

"You knew his reputation, and yet you allowed it."

"I never thought he would try anything! I would have killed him if I knew!"

Throwing her hands up, Hitomi backed away and headed towards the door. "I can't do this right now."

Still in anger mode, Van went after her. "What? Can't handle the truth? I thought that was what you wanted."

With her hand on the doorknob, she turned, "I'm not the one that had secrets to begin with. I'm not the one that couldn't face what he had done."

"You're the one that ran away! You ran, not me! I stayed here and lived in pure torture for God knows how long. I faced what happened, but you just left! Don't you dare tell me I didn't live with what I had done! You don't know what I've gone through! You have no idea! You just ran off and left it behind! You left and found your stupid fairy tale prince to make it seem like none of this ever happened, which I had to live with it every single day!"

Taking a breath, he shook his head, trying to prevent himself from causing any more damage. "Go to your fiancé. He's the one you should be talking to right now." Seeing that she wasn't moving, he spoke a little more forcefully. "Go, before we say anything else we might later regret." Silently, Hitomi opened the door and left his apartment.

* * *

It hurt. To even blink caused a massive amount of pain. This had to be punishment for last night. He hadn't meant to say all those horrible things, but for some reason, for the very first time, he lost his temper in front of her. Now, he couldn't even move without that crippling pain.

After Hitomi left, Van tried to go back to sleep, but then the pain started up. At first, he thought it was only a little one, one everyone had coming out of a heated argument. He hadn't had one this bad since the very first one.

_-Flashback-_

_It had been one week since he started working at EscaFlowne. Every day was a struggle to get through, pushing himself for some sort of purpose. Building this company from basically scratch was a challenge, but he enjoyed it and couldn't wait until everything was up and running. Currently, he was in the room that would be his office, admiring the view of the city. Gaia was truly beautiful, especially at night. _

_A knock on the door broke his train of thought and caused him to turn away from the window. Folken smiled from the doorway. "Dinner?"_

"_Only if you pay."_

"_Don't I always? Come on." The silver haired man began walking down the hallway towards the stairs. The elevator would be functional by tomorrow and not a moment sooner, much to his dismay. Stairs were just evil. Before he could get there, however, a loud thud was heard. Alarmed, Folken turned around and saw his little brother on the ground, gripping his head with a very pained expression on his face. Wasting no time, he ran over to his junior. "Van? Van, what's going on?"_

_Gasps came from the said man's mouth as he curled up into a fetal position. "It… hurts!" A single tear came from his maroon eyes as he tried to make the pain go away._

_"Hold on, Van. I'm calling for help." With that, Folken whipped out his cell and dialed the number he knew would offer the best help. "Dr. Hiragizawa! Van's in trouble."_

_Calmly, the doctor replied. "What's going on?"_

"_I think it's his head. He's in a lot of pain."_

_A sigh was heard. "I knew this would happen. Take him home immediately. I'll meet you there as soon as I can."_

"_Thank you, Doctor. Ja." Closing the phone, Folken carefully lifted his brother off the ground and practically ran down the stairs to his car. Thank whatever power there was that there were no police cars nearby as he drove like a mad man. All the while, Van was letting out little cries of pain and tried to find a position that caused it to subside. "Hold on, Van. We're almost there." Double parking right in front of the apartment building, the elder Fanel picked the younger up again and made his way to the apartment. Struggling with the key, he eventually gained access to the room and wasted no time putting Van on his bed, where the raven-haired male immediately curled up into a ball. _

_No more than ten minutes passed before Eriol was there to check on his patient. "Just as I thought. I warned him this would happen." Turning to Folken, the PhD holder gave him a small container with pills inside. "These will help get rid of the pain, but be careful. Don't let him become addicted to them. Have him classify his headaches as either tolerable or excruciating, such as this. One should do it." With that, he had Van swallow one of the caplets with a small glass of water. "Let me know if he runs out. We'll have to have a check up and see what we can do to reduce the number of attacks he has."_

_Nodding, Folken's eyes did not leave his brother's crippled form as it slowly calmed. "How much do I owe you, Doc?"_

_Shaking his head, Eriol collected his things. "Don't worry about it. I just wish I could tell you this is the last of them. Listen-" Eriol made sure he had Folken's attention with these instructions. "These drugs are very strong. Keep a close eye on them and him. Too many patients use them as a means of escape, if you know what I mean." Seeing the elder brother nod, he offered a small smile. "Well, I'd better be going. Give me a call if anything else happens." _

_Taking his hand, Folken shook it. "Thank you again. Let me see you out." And as the two males left the room, Van lay there trying to slip into a peacefully slumber._

_-End Flashback-_

Somehow, he was able to call Maaya to let her know he wasn't coming in today, leaving him alone in his pain. The pills were all gone since last year. He hadn't even thought to refill the damn thing. Van already knew from experience that Tylenol did nothing and Excedrin migraine only worked for a very short amount of time. Everything hurt him. Lights, sounds, touch… everything was slowly torturing him.

From what seemed like far away, a door opened and closed softly. Whether it was his door or someone else's, he wasn't sure. To be perfectly honest, he was a little busy trying to keep himself together. While curled up into his little ball, he felt the bed shift and was soon wrapped in familiar feminine arms. No, he didn't want this. He didn't want her to see him like this. Van struggled a bit, but her grip on him was stronger than he thought. "Shh. It's alright, Van." A cool washcloth was placed over his closed eyelids as her feather light fingertips stroked his hair, the way his mother use to when he was little.

Slowly, his body began to relax as he placed his head on her lap, allowing him to soak up her scent. Even his breathing, which had been labored, began to even out as he started to fall asleep. Before doing so, he breathed out quietly, "Hitomi, forgive me."

A small smile crept its way onto her face as she held him while he slept. Even though he could not hear her, she replied, "for everything."

* * *

Sunlight seeped into the room, falling directly onto the eyelids of a certain raven-haired male. Wincing slightly, he reluctantly opened his eyes, revealing to him the world of his bedroom. Blinking a few times, Van forced himself to sit up and look around him. 'Okay, I have no idea what day it is, what time it is, or what has happened since my attack. I need to call Maaya and see what's going on.' A small growl was heard, causing him to sigh. 'Or I can get some food first.'

Hearing the shifting of sheets, Van looked over and saw sandy brown hair peeking out of the top of the blanket while a smooth arm was falling over the edge of the bed. He didn't even have to look to know who it was. 'Even after everything, she came to help me?' A small smile pushed at the corners of his lips before a sigh burst forth. Reluctantly, he reached over and nudged her sleeping forth. When all he got was a groan, he tried again, pushing a little harder this time. 'I should have remembered she's nearly impossible to wake.' Van got off the bed and walked over to the side Hitomi was slumbering on, deciding on the best method to awaking her.

After thinking it over for quite a while, the maroon eyed man shook his head and went towards the phone. He could at least make some breakfast as a way to thank her for everything. Before that, however, he needed to make a few phone calls so no one thought they were dead. Picking it up and dialing the appropriate number, Van held the phone to his ear and waited for an answer. It was at this point when he walked out of the room and into the kitchen so as to not wake her with his conversation. Finally, a voice came through. "Thank you for calling EscaFlowne. This is Ayame speaking. How may I direct your call?"

This caught him off guard just a bit. "Ayame? What's your last name? And what happened to Millie?"

"Sir, Millie is on maternity leave at the moment. How may I direct your call?"

"I would like to remember your last name at the moment. This is Van Fanel."

There was a slight pause on the other end. "Sir, I find that hard to believe, considering Mr. Fanel would not need to call the front desk in order to speak with someone directly."

"I would if I didn't remember the number. After knowing your last name, I would like to be connected to Maaya Kanzaki's office in order to get an update." The silence told him she still wasn't convinced. "Look, I am the second son of Varie Fanel, my older brother being Folken, who now runs Fanelia, the company my father, Goau started. I am thirty years old, was born and raised in Gaia and went to Palas University."

"Sir, anyone with access to the Internet knows that."

Startled, he questioned, "Really? Wow. Let's see then…"

A sigh was heard in his ear. "Sir, how may I direct your call?"

Finally thinking up a clear way to prove he was himself, Van responded, "My very best friend was Maaya's daughter, Hitomi Kanzaki."

Another pause was heard before the woman's voice became more pleasant, "Good morning, Mr. Fanel. I apologize for my rude behavior, but you can never be too careful. How many I help you?"

A smile spread on his lips. "Well, first, you can tell me your last name, Ayame-san."

"Endoso. Ayame Endoso. I was a student of Miss Hitomi's my senior year of high school."

"That would mean you're still in college?" He was more than a bit confused at this. Since when did he hire people that young?

When a tiny giggle passed through the phone, he knew this would be a dumb moment for him. "Actually, I'm an intern. Today is my first day on the job. I'm an advertising major."

At this point, the raven-haired male decided to sit down on the couch for the remainder of his conversations. "And this would be your senior year, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, come to my office on Monday and I'll see you shadow one of the group accounts. No sense interning without getting real experience."

"Thank you, sir!"

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Van continued, "Now, if you don't mind, Endoso-san, could you please connect me to Maaya-san's office?"

"Right away, sir."

"Thank you." At that, the line went silent for a moment before the ringing began again. After a few seconds, a tired voice answered. "Kanzaki."

"You sound busy."

Another one of those wonderful pauses appeared again before the woman responded, "Boy, you better be dead and lying in a ditch somewhere!"

Van mentally applauded his ability to suppress his laughter. "Is it that chaotic?"

"Just a tad, but I'm trying to keep it under control. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been beat up in an alley, but much better than before. What day is it?"

"Friday. You've been gone for three days now." Hearing his groan, Maaya chuckled. "Hey, you get as many sick days as you want, mister boss man. Just come in tomorrow for a half the day, rest up on Sunday and be at full strength Monday. Okay? Mom's orders."

Smiling, he ran a hand through his really messed up hair. "Thanks, mom. I do have one more phone call to make though. Do you know Bryan's number?"

There was that long pause again. "Why do you need it?"

"Like you don't know who has been here since Tuesday. I want him to know everything's alright and she'll be home tonight."

"I can tell him."

"Nah, I'll do it. You have enough to worry about. I'll take over tomorrow though."

"Oh alright." After giving him the number, having him promise to relax the rest of the day and to drink plenty of liquids, Maaya and Van ended the phone conversation with the simple "bye."

Stretching a bit, Van considered making breakfast before calling the fiancé. 'What's five more minutes anyway?' Getting up, he made his way over to the kitchen, debating with himself what he could possibly make for the morning meal. After digging through his cabinets, he surprised himself by finding all the ingredients that were required to make pancakes. As he was mixing up the batter, the phone began to scream its harmoniously annoying ring. Van picked it up as quickly as he could. "Hello?"

"Oh, finally! Someone answers their phone. This is Van, right?"

Raising one eyebrow, he answered cautiously, "depends who's asking."

"Oh, right. This is Bryan." Speak of the devil. "I was just wondering if Hitomi was still there with you?"

"Yes. She's sleeping in-" How could he say this without giving this guy the wrong idea? "Well, she's sleeping." Thinking it over, Van began again. "Sorry if she made you worry. I was about to call you to let you know everything was okay."

He could tell this guy wasn't very pleased. "Well, she did at least leave a note. How's your head?"

"Much better, thanks. Sadly, it's a side effect from the car wreck I was in four years ago. It's gets so bad to the point where I can't move. Hitomi was a big help, though I didn't know she was coming." Pausing a moment, he continued. "I didn't ask her to come, Bryan. Honest. I was going to make some breakfast and then send her back home. Give it about an hour or two. Promise."

Sighing, Bryan replied, "Alright. Sorry, I'm a bit paranoid I guess."

"If our roles were reversed, I would feel the same. Don't worry. She'll be back with you soon."

"Thanks. Glad you're feeling better, by the way."

"Me too. Bye."

"Bye." And with that, the conversation ended. It could have been worse, but it definitely could have been better. Shrugging it off, Van went back to the batter and began actually pouring it into the frying pan, making the traditional round like shapes.

After making quite a large stack of them, Van quickly set the table, then went off to do the most difficult task known to man: waking up Hitomi Kanzaki. Mentally preparing himself, he walked into his bedroom to see her now curled up on one side of the bed. Smiling softly, he moved over to the side closest to her and simply watched her sleep. Her breathing was even and calm, as if she had not a care in the world. A few strands of her sandy brown hair fell across her face, causing him to reach over and put them back into place. If he could, he would watch her sleep until forever, but that just wasn't possible anymore. Sighing, Van reached over and shook her shoulder. "Tomi, time to wake up."

A soft groan emerged from her pink lips as her face scrunched up. At the same time, she buried herself deeper into the covers. That did not stop him, however. Shaking her shoulder a bit harder, he leaned over to whisper into her ear. "Hitomi, come on. Time to get up."

She groaned once again before rasping, "five more minutes?"

"Your pancakes will be cold by then."

Whimpering while eyes still closed, she replied, "but I'm comfy and warm."

Smiling, Van stood up and left the room, somewhat confusing the sleepy woman who was debating whether or not to open her eyes. After a few moments, the male returned with a tray full of fluffy circular-ish food, syrup, jelly, and of course the plates and forks. Smelling the food, Hitomi peeked open one emerald eye to see what he had done. Smiling, she sat up, stretched and held out her hands. "Breakfast in bed? My hero."

"Think of it as a thank you, m'lady." Placing the food in front of her, he sat down on the mattress and waited until she had taken what she required. After filling up his own plate, they both dug in, enjoying the nourishment and sugar that always came with one of their meals. What was unusual about this meal, however, was the lack of conversation. Now and then, Van thought of saying something, but he was still a bit uncomfortable, considering the last time they talked ended up in an argument. Thankful, after about five grueling minutes of silence, Hitomi looked up at him. "You were on the phone before?"

Shifting his eyes away from his plate and at his friend, he nodded. "I called in to see how everything was and to update your mom."

"Let me guess, hectic and chaotic as always?"

"But of course."

Pausing a bit, Hitomi questioned further. "Anyone else call?"

Suddenly, his good morning dimmed. "Yeah. Bryan called." Seeing her sit up a bit only made him a bit sadder. "He wanted to see if everything was alright. I assured him you'd be home soon, so he won't have to worry any longer."

"Oh," was all the reply Van received. At that point, she continued to nibble on her food. A few moments later, he heard some kind of mumbling noise protruding from her lips. "Come again?"

Rolling her eyes, she repeated, "I don't see why he has to worry. I mean, I wrote him a note explaining what was going on."

"Why didn't you just tell him?" For some reason, he was getting the idea that she didn't really like having a conversation with this man she was about to chain herself to for all eternity. Not that he was suggesting anything negative…

"When I heard what was going on with you, he wasn't around. I figured I would explain it to him when I got back."

"Three days later? What did the note say anyway?"

Lowering her gaze, Hitomi began to bite her bottom lip. "Just that I was here with you and that I might be gone for awhile."

Smacking his head, Van groaned. "Your poor use of the English language never ceases to amaze me."

"I left him a number to call," she protested.

"And he used it today. He probably tried calling your cell many times, plus my home phone. I haven't even looked at the answering machine yet." Sliding his hand off his face, the raven-haired man gazed over at her and sighed. "Hitomi, Hitomi, Hitomi… what am I to do with you?"

Pretending to think for a moment, the said woman replied, "You can let me have the last pancake?" Smiling, he lifted the plate and gave it to her, thus ending the glorious meal. Without a word, he careful piled everything back onto the tray, picked it up and headed into the kitchen, the sounds of tiny feet following him in the process. "So, what time must I leave?"

Placing the dishes in the sink, he began running the water. "You're a big girl, Tomi. I think you can figure that one out on your own. I told him in about an hour or so, but it is up to you."

A sigh was heard from her general direction as another plate entered the sanctuary of the sink. "Knowing you, you gave him your word. Let me change first, and then I'll go."

"Good girl."

Hitomi soon disappeared into the bedroom while he finished washing the dishes. Different thoughts swam through his mind, all surrounding a certain female in the other room. What was he going to do? The proper thing would be to cut things off forever as soon as she said "I do." He had an opportunity and lost it. The only thing he could do for her now was to disappear from her life. That was the plan, but she was making things harder and harder as time went on. No, he had to do the right thing. Van had to let her go.

"Van?" Taking his focus away from his thoughts, maroon eyes clashed with emerald. To show that he was listening, he silently nodded his head. "Do you want me to talk to Eriol about refilling your prescription? He's coming by today to discuss what he's suppose to do for the wedding. He's Bryan's best man."

Shaking his head, Van began to place the dishes back in the cabinets. "Nah. I'll take care of it. I need a checkup anyway." Turning to face her, he leaned back on the counter and crossed his arms in front of him. "So, three more weeks, huh? You excited?"

It took her a moment to realize what he was referring to. "Bryan will make me happy." Releasing a sigh, Hitomi reached down and picked up a duffle bag he hadn't realized she had. With a small smile, Hitomi walked over and gave him an awkward embrace. "Do call, for any reason. Don't make me find out anything bad through my mom, or I'll beat you myself."

Offering a smile, Van nodded and walked with her to the door. "Of course. I'd like to see thirty-one after all." Unlocking it and swinging the wooden rectangular object, he hugged her one last time. "Thank you."

"I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Backing out of his arms, Hitomi gave another small smile, waved, and left the apartment. Van closed the door behind her. With a sigh, he locked it and went into the spare bedroom that he used as an office. Immediately walking over to the laptop on his desk, the raven haired man sat in the chair and started up the machine. While the computer loaded, Van grabbed his briefcase and pulled out one of his account folders, deciding on finishing something before tomorrow. As he glanced over the contents, a sentence floated through his mind, one he swore he had heard before. 'If a thing is not spoken of, even those closet to you, who you love, will assume that it doesn't exist.'

_-Flashback-_

_"The girl is in love with this guy, but he doesn't notice her at all. In order to gain his attention and possibly his heart, she changes her appearance, her hair and clothes. He's too busy playing silly games to see who she really is, so she changes herself for him."_

"_How does the girl know if he truly doesn't see her or not? I mean, what if he's the one trying to change for her?"_

_"Oh please. He's a guy! Guys are so dense."_

_-End Flashback-_

Shaking his head, Van reached over and picked up his glasses, choosing to avoid another head attack. Placing them on, he glanced at the small picture sitting on his desk. With a small smile on his face, the maroon eyed man sighed. 'I did change for and because of her. Sadly, I never realized until too late.' Finally, he tore his gaze away and paid attention to his work. As he did so, the image of him and his best friend smiled back from behind a glass frame.

* * *

Why was it when the sun was shining so brightly, the weather was comfortable and it was generally a great day that she was in her "I hate the world" mood? Probably had something to do with the fact that she was almost completely nocturnal at this point. With a sigh, the woman walked quickly down the street, mentally cursing her alarm clock that decided to go on strike. Oh yeah, she was late. Not only that, but her vehicle of chose was in the repair shop. Times like these reminded her of the phrase "when it rains, it pours."

Seeing her destination in view, the female quickened her pace, determined to cross the street before the light changed. But of course, this was not possible. "Well damn it!" Waiting a few moments, she was allowed to cross without the threat of the fate of most squirrels during traffic. Finally, she reached the café she was supposed to be at about fifteen minutes ago. Taking a deep breath and throwing open the door, the blond looked around the place and soon found the table she desired.

Flopping down into one of the empty chairs, she smiled. "Sorry about that."

Brown eyes looked back at her from across the table. "Don't worry. I haven't been here long. Besides, the other two aren't here yet."

That caused her to pause. "Other two?"

Chuckling, the man got up and sat down beside her, placing a kiss on her cheek. "I had hoped you wouldn't mind. Hitomi called me. She wanted to know how you were holding up, and I informed her that we would be having lunch today."

The blonde's eyes went wide. "Who is she coming with?"

"Her fiancé, of course. Why?"

Standing up quickly, she tried to grab her things. "I have to go."

"What? Why?"

"It's just that, uh, I, umm…"

"Hey Danielle!" Pausing mid motion, the said woman turned to see Hitomi walking over to the table, Bryan close behind her. Apparently he had recognized and remembered her just like she remembered him. This was going to be… interesting….

Putting on a smile, the brown-eyed female greeted her friend. "Hey Tomi. How goes it?"

The sandy brunette hugged the other female before speaking, "it's insane right now. I had hoped we could all sit and chat. Did I come too late?"

"Huh?"

Chuckling, the brown-eyed man stood. "She means why you have your stuff in hand. And no, you aren't late. Danielle just got here herself."

Hitomi immediately came over and hugged him. "It's been awhile, hasn't it Gaddess?"

"Hey now. You keep this up, we'll be in trouble with both your fiancé and the love of my life here. They just might get jealous and run off together."

Laughing, she broke away from him and went over to the other male. "Bryan, this is Danielle and Gaddess, two of my good friends. Danielle's one of my bride's maids."

Looking at him, the blond silently thought over what to say. However, Bryan extended his hand towards her. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Seeing that he was trying to make things simpler, she shook his hand without saying anything. Knowing her luck, she'd say something that would give away their situation.

Once the greetings were finished, they all sat in their seats and scanned over the menu. Hitomi glanced over at her female friend. "You are nearly impossible to get on the phone. Where do you hide yourself?"

Before she could answer, Gaddess spoke up, "Well, she works at night now. Having her up and about before two in the afternoon is a miracle nowadays."

"Work? Where do you work?"

Danielle replied, "at a bookstore not too far from Esca. Actually, I own the place."

The emerald-eyed woman sat up a bit. "Seriously? That's awesome! I wish you had told me earlier. I would come by to look around."

"Well, you had a lot of work to do before the big day. It's no big deal." Silently, she was begging for the waiter to come quickly as to keep them all occupied on something else.

Apparently, someone listened to her prayers and chose to be nice. A girl with short brown hair soon came over with a pad of paper in hand. "Welcome! My name is Yumi and I'll be your server today. Do you know what you'd like or do you need a few more minutes?" Each of them placed their order while Yumi scribed it all down. "Alright, that will be a few minutes. I'll be right back with your drinks."

When the woman left, the table fell silent. Finally having enough of it, Gaddess turned to Bryan. "So, what is it you do again?"

"I'm a history teacher at the middle school in Basram." A small smile formed on Danielle's lips. In high school, she had told him to pursue just that due to his freakish way of remembering dates and names. Funny how things turn out just as you thought they would.

Suddenly, a strange Latin beat burst forth, causing Gaddess to search his pockets. Grabbing his cell phone, he sighed and looked at his girlfriend. "I have to take this." Seeing her nod, he turned to his guests. "Sorry about this. I'll be right back." At that, he got up and went outside to talk with whoever had called, leaving the blond alone with the couple. It was at that moment the drink miraculously appeared in front of them.

Hitomi smiled. "I have a feeling you're used to him leaving in the middle of lunch."

Shrugging, she replied, "Stuff comes up. Nothing we can do about that."

The sandy brunette leaned in a bit, looking a bit devious, "so, you two have been together, what, four years now?"

"On and off again, but yeah."

Her smile got bigger. "So, when are you two getting married?"

Bryan suddenly choked on his drink and began to cough violently, causing his fiancée to pat his back in order to help. When he was finally settled, Hitomi turned her attention back on the female, who simply smiled. "We're fine where we are right now. We haven't really talked about it, but who knows?"

"As long as you're happy, I guess."

"Exactly." With that, she took a sip of her drink, still refusing to look over at Bryan. What could possibly be going through his mind?

Suddenly, the waitress came over to the table. "Excuse me. Is one of you Hitomi Kanzaki?"

Nodding her head, the said woman spoke up. "That's me."

"You have a phone call, ma'am. Apparently your cell phone is not working, so they called here."

Standing up, emerald eyes looked at the other two. "I'll just be a minute. Sorry." With that, she left her fiancé alone with the woman from his past.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Bryan braved a conversation. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"About thirteen or so years since we last saw each other. Maybe ten since we spoke. Something like that."

Shifting in his seat, the man leaned forward a bit in order to speak a bit quieter. "You look good, Dani."

Smiling, she leaned back in her seat. "You know I hate that name. I just gave up trying to correct people." Shaking her head, she directed her eyes toward the window. Gaddess was still on that phone, talking to someone intently.

"He seems like a nice guy." Turning to him, her eyes were a bit wide, telling him she hadn't heard him. "Gaddess, he seems like a good guy."

Her smile grew soft as she nodded. "He's wonderful."

"I'm glad." Looking away, he continued, "I would have had to kill him if he wasn't."

Rolling her eyes, Danielle had had enough. "Don't go pretending there was more between us than there was."

Sitting up, his brown eyes met hers equally. "I had thought we were more than friends. If I remember correctly, it was you who stopped the communication when you started dating some guy."

"You want to know why I did that? Because I was tired of waiting for you to tell me how you felt. A girl can only go so long before she needs to hear how the guy feels. Besides, he's a great guy. In fact, you should know. You met him not too long ago."

Raising an eyebrow, Bryan questioned, "What? Who are you talking about?"

Smirking, she answered. "Van Fanel."

Anger creped into his eyes at that. It took him a moment to respond. "Are you kidding me?"

"Of course not. I'm not five."

Shaking his head, he looked away for a brief second. "What the hell is with this guy? First you, then Hitomi…"

"Actually, it was Hitomi all along. But, it's not my place to say. He was very good to me. I even brought him home during Thanksgiving break one year. You happen to be too busy to even visit that year."

"Hey, that wasn't my fault."

"Sure."

Leaning back in his chair, Bryan took a deep breath before sighing. "You want to know what I was doing? I was looking for an engagement ring for you. I was going to ask you when you were home for Christmas break, but then I heard about your boyfriend."

Confusion was written all over her face. "What?" Clearly, something did not work in her head.

Nodding, he continued. "Yeah, I was gonna ask you to marry me."

"Oh please. You had already met Hitomi and became fascinated with her at that time. Don't even try lying to me."

"She was my best friend's girlfriend. Yes, I was attracted to her, but that was nothing compared to what I felt for you. You were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. That's why I didn't try anything with her, not because of Eriol, but because of you." At that, he reached over and took a sip of his drink once again, giving them time to think.

Her head was spinning with this information. This was the man she had known way back in high school, her first love. This was the man that had broken her heart when they only conversed as friends. To hear that he had actually loved her as much as she did him was mind blowing.

Seeing her compute all that he had said, Bryan looked towards the door to make sure no one overheard them. When he decided the coast was clear, he turned to her and looked her straight in the eye. "I did love you, Danielle, and I did want to marry you. If things could be different…"

"Stop." A soft smile appeared on her face as she gazed at him. "There's no use thinking that way. We could sit here all day going over every little thing in our past and wonder what would happen if things had been different." She reached over and took his hand, causing him to pay close attention. "You were my first love, Bryan, but you see that man out there?" Looking over, he saw the dark haired, brown-eyed man outside, laughing as he seemed to be finishing his phone conversation. Turning to back to her, the history teacher nodded. "He is my last love."

The impact of that statement hit him harder than he thought it would. This was the woman he compared all over women to. She was the one he had thought about for a long time, wondering what could have been. Her sincerity and conviction shook him to the core of his being. How could she be so certain?

Eventually, Danielle released his hand and sat back in her seat. The two sat in a comfortable silence, looking at each other, when Gaddess reappeared. "Sorry about that." He leaned over and kissed the blond softly on the lips as an apology before taking his seat. "What did I miss?"

Smiling, the female took her boyfriend's hand. "Nothing much. Bryan and I were just chatting."

Chuckling, Gaddess turned to the other man. "You poor thing. I hope she didn't hurt you too badly."

As she playfully slapped his arm, Bryan sighed. Thankful, his fiancée returned before he could answer. "Apparently, my cell phone was turned off without my knowledge. My mom says hi, by the way."

Yumi came soon after with their meals, allowing the atmosphere to return to a comfortable and friendly feel. Half way through her food, Hitomi looked up and asked, "So, what did you two talk about?"

Bryan was the one to answer, "How fate can bring two people together, if only for a brief moment, in order to help shape them into the person they will become."

Feeling no need to say anything, Danielle simply squeezed Gaddess' hand and continued with her meal.

* * *

It was two in the morning and Van was wide awake. Tomorrow was the day of Hitomi's wedding. On that day, she would become Hitomi Caliburn until the day she died, loving him until forever. Van sighed as he remembered what he was going to do after the wedding – tell her goodbye for good. He had it all planned. When they took off for their honeymoon, he would go to America for a while and run his business from there. It would be like a mini vacation. While there, he could even start a new branch and possibly stay there for good. It would be a fresh new beginning. That was what he needed.

A loud knock on the door took him away from his last minute preparations, such as actually buying the ticket. Getting up, he walked over to the door and opened it. Blinking a few times, he was a bit shocked. "Hitomi? What the…?"

Grabbing his hand, she began dragging him out into the hallway. "Come with me."

Planting his feet into the floor, he somehow stopped her. "What's going on?"

"Van, just come?"

Looking at her for a few, he reluctantly grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. As he locked the door behind him, Van turned to her. "Where to?"

Taking his hand, Hitomi guided him down the stairs and towards the street, heading in a particular direction. He knew it would be in vain to ask if she wanted to take the car. She needed to walk and sort out her thoughts. As they walked, silence fell between them, telling him she wanted to talk only at the destination she had in mind.

Finally, after maybe a half hour or so, they entered the park and slowly their pace a bit. Hitomi was still not saying anything and Van was not about to rush her. That was just how she was. He had to let her just walk until she was ready.

A small hill came into view and he just knew that was where she was heading. When they reached the top of it, she sat down and looked out over the park, remaining quiet. After a few moments, Van sat down next to her and waited patiently.

"I'm scared."

Nodding, he replied, "That's natural. You're about to commit yourself to one person for the rest of your life. It's a big deal."

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she encircled them with her arms and rested her chin on them. "What do you think of him?"

This was the exact question he had hoped she would never ask him. How could he tell her his real opinion? Sighing, he fell back and lay on the grass, his gaze to the stars and full moon above. "It doesn't matter what I think."

"It does to me."

Thinking this over, Van knew he had to tell her. "No, it doesn't. All I care about is if you will be happy." Pausing, he continued, "Do you love him?"

Silence stretch on for a moment. "Bryan's a good man. He will make me happy."

"That's not what I asked. Anyone has the ability to make anyone else happy. That's not something to base a marriage on. The two should be so desperately and hopelessly in love." He had to stop himself. "Wait, that's not true." When she looked over at him in confusion, he continued. "Being in love is just the start of things. Anyone can do that. Loving someone is much more than that. Being in love is a madness, similar to lust, in a way. Loving someone is something that will last when in love fades." Gazing over at her, Van said, "Being in love is easy, but loving someone is very special. It cannot die, no matter what trials come between them."

He let her think that over for a moment before he asked, "Do you love him?" She stayed quiet for a very long time, as if she was unsure of how to answer. "If you love him, marry him. If you love him, I will be there and watch as you become his wife."

Sitting up, he watched as she seemed troubled. Sighing, he stood up and reached out a hand to her. "Come here." Without hesitation, she gave him her hand and allowed him to pull her up. Van held her close and whispered into her ear, "A long time ago, you promised me a dance." Her eyes went wide as she gazed at him, trying to remember such a promise. Thinking back, she smiled lightly as she recalled the event. He held her close, took her hand and began to dance with her on the top of the hill in the park.

Hitomi giggled a bit. "I feel weird doing this without music." No sooner than the words passed her lips than Van began to hum a familiar tune in her ear. She smiled a bit. "I remember this one."

His humming stopped a moment as he replied. "It should. I practiced this thing a long time before playing it under your balcony." At that, he changed from humming to singing it softly for only the two of them to hear as they danced.

"The strands in your eyes  
that color them wonderful  
Stop me and steal my breath  
And emeralds from mountains  
thrust towards the sky  
Never revealing their depth

"And tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache  
that hang from above

"And I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

"And rain falls angry on the tin roof  
As we lie awake in my bed  
And you're my survival, you're my living proof  
My love is alive and not dead

"And tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache  
that hang from above.

"And I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

"And I've dropped out, I burned up,  
I fought my way back from the dead  
Tuned in, turned on,  
Remembered the thing that you, you said

"I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your…

"I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
And I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

"The greatest fan of your life  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah  
Greatest fan of your life."

As he finished singing, the two of them slowly ceased their movements, but did not move away from each other. Breathing slightly, Van looked down at her, "if you love him, Hitomi, he is the luckiest man alive." A tear slid down her face as she hugged him, him returning the gesture. Looking out around him, Van smiled. "You were right you know. This is beautiful."

* * *

Sighing, Van paced back and forth in front of the church, waiting until the ceremony was going to start. At this point, he was still wondering if he could make himself sit there and watch her marry him. Bryan was a good guy and all, but that didn't stop Van from disliking him. After all, because of him, Hitomi was lost to him forever.

As he continued his pacing, a female snuck into the room where the groom was getting ready. Closing the door behind her, she smiled as she walked up to him. "You always did look good in a tux. That much I remember."

Startled, Bryan turned around to see who it was. Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his face. "What are you doing here? The ceremony is going to start soon. You're supposed to be helping Hitomi get ready. That is the job of the maid of honor, right?"

Chuckling, she nodded. "At this point, there's nothing left for me to do." Taking a moment, she asked, "She doesn't know about us, does she?"

Getting a bit angry, he replied, "No and she doesn't need to, especially not today."

Try as she might, she just could not contain her giggle. "Lighten up. I think it's funny, in an ironic sort of way. I mean, could this world get any smaller?"

"Of course you would." Shaking his head, he took a seat in front of the mirror. Why oh why did this have to happen today?

Slipping in front of him, she smiled. "Relax. I'm not going to cause a scene. I was the one to give the ring back, remember? Don't worry. I'll be on my best behavior."

Bryan let out a loud sigh as he placed his head in his hands. "I had no idea you were his sister and that you were friends with her."

"Oh please. Like that would have changed anything." Giving him a hug, which he eventually accepted, she whispered, "I won't say a thing. What kind of friend would I be if I did that?" Gaining a small smile from him, she hugged him even harder. "I knew I wasn't the one for you. I just want you to be happy." With a small kiss on the cheek, she stood up and left the groom to himself.

Smiling, the woman walked across the hallway towards the other room, which held the bride. There was no denying that she loved Bryan, but she also knew she was not the one for him. Sadly, it was after he proposed that she realized the truth. After giving back the ring, she disappeared from his life, only appearing again that night in his hotel room. They had simply talked about the past when it came out how she knew the bride. Life's funny that way.

Smiling, she made her way towards the door a few feet in front of her. While she agreed this wasn't right, she would still do what she could for the woman she knew since high school. Suddenly, Danielle opened the door and came out of Hitomi's room. Smiling at her, she inquired, "You know where your idiot brother is, Merle?"

The said female tucked some of her pink hair behind her ear before thinking. "I think he was outside putting a hole in the ground."

"Thanks." With that, the blond took off for the entrance, leaving her friend behind. Chuckling, the youngest Fanel turned and entered the bride's chamber to help with the last minute preparations. She was the maid of honor, after all…

Meanwhile, Danielle walked down the stairs to interrupt the raven-haired man in his little thinking spree. Sighing, she came up beside him and tapped his shoulder. "Van, Hitomi wants to see you for a minute."

Maroon eyes focused on her before processing what she said. "Is something wrong?"

"Last minute jitters or something. We're going to start soon and she would love to talk to her best friend first." Seeing as he wasn't moving, she took him by the arm. "Come on, Van. Best not keep her waiting."

Shaking her off, Van replied, "I got it. Thanks." With that, he took a deep breath and went over to her room, preparing himself for anything. Knocking on the door lightly, he waited for a reply.

The voice that answered was timid and shy. "Who is it?"

"It's me. You decent?"

After a few seconds, the door creaked open as an emerald-eyed girl stuck her head through the crack. "Come on in." She parted the door more so that he could fit through.

Once he was in the room, Van turned to the woman. "What's going on, Tomi?"

Glancing at the other girls there, Hitomi silently told them to leave so she could talk to him in private. Getting the idea, Merle and Robin left quickly, Danielle having chosen to stay outside. Once the door was closed, she looked at him nervously. Before saying anything, she closed her mouth and began pacing. "You're gonna say no."

"You won't know until you ask."

Taking a deep breath, she stopped pacing and bit her bottom lip. "Umm, I know this is a lot to ask, but there's no one else."

Curiosity got the better of him. "For what?"

"Umm, to, umm… well… to walk me down the aisle?" Her white dress swept the floor in a flowing manner in a somewhat bell-like shape, her curves accented by the waist line and her shoulders bare as the fabric came below them. Her thin veil came down to her knees in the back. On her face was that deep red lipstick as her eyes were highlighted white, her eyelashes done with mascara. She was breathtaking.

Van took a moment to collect himself before he processed what she had asked of him. His heart was racing and in pain at the same time. Lowering his head, Van replied, "No. I won't do it. I can't."

Her voice sounded so small and fragile. "Why?"

Sighing, he knew what he had to do. Shaking his head, he threw reason out the window and just did what had to be done. "It's the one thing I cannot do. To be the one that gives you to Bryan… I have done so much for you, but I just can't give you to some else." Waiting a moment, he continued. "Hitomi, I can't hide it any longer. I tried to, but I cannot deny the truth any longer."

Confused, the bride shook her head slightly. "Van?"

Taking a breath, he finally confessed, "Hitomi, ever since I was fifteen years old, I felt whole when I was with you. It was like a part of me was missing until you appeared. You came into my world by chance and I thank whatever higher power there is for that. But I didn't know what I had until I lost you. You're the one my soul cries out for, longs for. I… I love you, with all my heart and soul."

Her beautiful emerald eyes grew wide as tears began to form. He so desperately wanted to rid her of them, never wanting her to be sad. Before he thought it over, Van walked over, lowered his head, and pressed his lips against hers, sending all he felt for her into that moment. He had no idea that her lips would be so soft, or how complete he would feel holding her this way.

At some point, he pulled away from her and reached up to wipe away her tears. "I am so sorry, Tomi. I just couldn't hide it any longer." Sighing, he stepped away from her and turned toward the door. "I'm so sorry, but I don't think I can be at your wedding. Don't worry. I won't interfere anymore. I won't cause you any more pain. Have a wonderful life, Hitomi. You deserve only the best." With that, he took a small metal circle out of his pocket and placed it on the table by the door. "I think this belongs to you." At that point, he walked out of the door and left the church entirely.

Mentally cursing himself, Van headed toward the parking lot, ready to head back to his apartment and try to find an earlier flight to America. Why did he have to kiss her? It was just so wonderful and… he shouldn't have done it. Now he would be haunted by her taste for life. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys. He just couldn't go to her wedding now. It would be just too painful. In the distance, he could hear the music begin to play, knowing she was now gone for good. She would soon be Mrs. Hitomi Caliburn, a married woman he would never know from this moment on. No matter how much he didn't want to, he knew he could not stay here.

Before he reached his car, however, a voice stopped him. "VAN!" Turning around, he saw Hitomi running after him as quickly as she could, her gown flowing all around with each movement she made. "Hitomi, what are you doing? You're going to-"

He didn't have time to respond as her fist connected with his nose, sending him back quite a bit. He had forgotten just how strong she was. Blinking in pain, he looked over at the infuriated woman before him. She was still coming at him as well, which was just terrifying. "What the HELL is your problem, Fanel?!? What?? You tell me now?!? You're a friggin moron! Oh goodness!!!" She began pacing back and forth to release some steam. "Out of all the times!! What are you trying to do to me?!? I mean, do you have any idea what it's like to have loved someone for fifteen years and then they do that to you on your wedding day?!? My wedding day!! I have the friggin dress on and everything!! I'm about to bind my life forever with-"

Van stopped backing up on that. Running up and taking her shoulders to hold her steady, he took a breath. "What did you just say?"

Struggling against his hold, she said, "You're a moron!"

"No, after that…"

"I said do you know what it's like to have loved someone for eleven…"

"That's not what you said."

"Yes it was!"

"You said fifteen."

Perplexed and still angry, she cried, "what?!?"

"You said fifteen years…" Seeing her eyes grow wide as realization hit her, Van took a moment before questioning what he knew she said. "You still love me?"

A moment passed in silence as they stared at each other. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Hitomi gave up fighting him. A tear slid down her face as she replied, "I thought I was over you…"

Taking a few seconds, Van's eyes grew wide. "Do you love Bryan?" A slow shake of her head was her answer. Now came the moment of truth. "Do you love me?" Biting her lip, she slowly nodded and tried to get out of his arms. He would have none of that. "Hitomi." With that, she stopped struggling as his lips pressed against hers once again. This time, she returned the kiss, letting herself express all she had felt for this man the past fifteen years of her life. It was the most complete they had ever been.

Once they released each other, Van gazed into her emerald eyes, never wishing to look away. Something had to be brought up, though. "What do you want to do, Hitomi?" When she seemed confused, he reminded her. "It's your wedding day."

The sound of someone clearing their throat was heard, causing them to look. Hitomi's eyes went wide as she breathed, "Bryan."

The said man stood there, watching his bride to be in the arms of her best friend, confessing her love to him. A pained expression took over his features as he tried to back away. The sandy brunette moved closer, trying to do something to comfort him. As soon as she placed her hand on his arm, however, he snatched it away. In a low voice, he asked, "you didn't love me, did you?"

She thought over how to word her response. "I…I cared deeply for you. I thought I did, or at least could love you. I would have been honored to become your wife, but…" Seeing him that way devastated her. "Bryan, I'm so sorry. I didn't-"

"No, but I did." Looking over at Van, the groom did his best to keep calm. "I knew I'd end up standing alone at the alter." Shaking his head, he began to walk away.

"Bryan, wait." The man stopped as Van walked over to him. After a few moments of uneasy silence, the maroon eyed man stood before him at ease. "I know any kind of apology I try to give you will be lacking. I know how much you love Hitomi, and if I were in your shoes, I would be so unbelievable angry. I…" He didn't know what he could do to make amends to this poor man whose once mistake was falling for the wrong woman.

Instead, Bryan placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't. Somehow, I knew this would happen." He began walking away once again, but stopped and called over his shoulder. "Take care of her this time, Van. There are no third chances in life." Not waiting for an answer, he went back into the church to inform everyone that there would be no wedding.

As soon as he disappeared, Hitomi let her tears fall. "He's such a great man… he didn't deserve this. Not at all."

Van held her close and tried to stop her tears. "Bryan will be blessed with his true soul mate some day. Believe that and pray that he does." Holding her like this, knowing how she truly felt, he knew what to do now. He would not make the same mistakes again. From now on, Van would not let her go.

As her sobs subsided, the raven-haired man gazed down at her, wondering how fate had brought her back to him. Something caught his eye, however, causing him to bring her left hair up so he could see it better. A smile broke onto his face. "Before slugging me, you put the ring on?"

Looking up at him, she smiled as well. "You did give it back to me. When I saw it, I knew I had to come after you. It was like instinct."

Kissing her forehead, he held her to him once again. That was how Danielle found them later on, choosing to hold her cheering at bay until she went to inform the others. Finally, the two of them would be together, just like everyone knew they should be. And to think, it only took them fifteen years to do so…

* * *

It was two in the morning and Van Fanel could not sleep. Try as he may, he just could not get himself to fall into dreamland. With a sight, he began the long cycle of tossing and turning, trying to find the position that would send him into a deep slumber. Sighing, the raven-haired man was just about to give up when the phone rang, which would require him to get up anyway. Pushing himself off the bed, he walked into the kitchen and grabbed the communication device. "Hello?"

"You can't sleep either, huh Sparky?"

A smile instantly danced on his lips. "You know me too well. What's your excuse for being up?"

"See, I would be, but I'm outside this guy's apartment and he just refuses to get up to answer the door. I can't very well go to sleep in the hallway, now can I?"

Laughing, he walked over to the door and swung it open, seeing the woman of his dreams standing there with the cell phone in hand. Smiling, she asked, "May I come in, good sir?"

"But of course. Just let me finish this phone call."

At that, she closed the phone, walked in and kissed him softly on the lips. Without even looking, Van hung up the phone, tossed it somewhere and closed the door, all the while continuing to kiss her. Chuckling, she pulled away from him a bit. "Someone learned to multitask."

"What can I say? It's a gift."

"I feel blessed."

"You should. Now come on." Without another word, he picked her up bridal style and brought her into his room, placing her softly on the bed. Instantly, Hitomi crawled to what was to be dubbed her side of the bed, while he went to his. Sliding under the covers, Van held her close to him as they began the lovely descent into the dream world. "I love it when you crash here. I actually get to sleep."

"Glad to be useful." Kissing him softly on the nose, she made herself comfortable. After a few seconds of silence, she asked him, "Hey Van? If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?"

Chuckling, he held her closer. "You mean besides running into you all those years ago?"

"Yeah, besides that."

Pretending to think for a moment, he leaned down and kissed her neck. "Sweetheart, there's not a thing I would change. If it weren't for everything we've been through, we would not be here right now."

Smiling, she closed her eyes. "I'm glad. That's the same answer I had."

Pleased with her answer, he closed his eyelids as well. "I love you, Hitomi Kanzaki. Sweet dreams, my love." And with one last kiss goodnight, the two fell into a peaceful sleep, engulfed in each other's arms.

_Fin _

* * *

_**Epilogue: There's Not A Thing I Would Change**_

Smiling to herself, she printed off the final page and placed it with the others. Stretching her arms over her head, she got up from her seat and ran into the next room. "It's finally done!"

The dark raven-haired man got up from the couch and took her into a big hug. "I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you." To prove his point, he kissed her fully on the lips, making her a bit dizzy at the same time.

Laughing after he pulled away, she hit him lightly on the arm. "It only took me three years and a day. Do you realize how much coke that is?"

"Oh, don't make me think about that. There were too many emergency run to the store to refill the stock."

Raising one eyebrow, she gave him an interesting look. "Are you implying you did not enjoy doing a few favors for me at random times of night?"

Chuckling, he smiled. "For you, sweetheart, I'd do anything."

"Okay, you're being very nice. What did you do?"

Turning on his heel, he moved toward the bedroom. "Oh, nothing." As she was about to follow him, he turned around and paused. "You wait here."

"Is that a request or demand?"

"That's a request in the most sincerest way possible."

"Well, in that case… I'll be a good girl." He laughed a bit before disappearing in the back room. Smiling, the blond walked around her living room to look at each picture that was displayed. There were very few of them, but the ones that were out always managed to touch her heart.

The first one was one that everyone had waited for for such a long time. Her white dress and his tux were fantastic, but it was their faces that showed everything. They loved each other so much and had to go through so much just to be together. She smiled again as she remembered their wedding day. They weren't nervous at all, just so happy to finally give themselves to each other forever. Mr. and Mrs. Van Fanel. It had a very pleasant sound to it. And to think, in about seven months or so, there would be another little Fanel running around in the world. Her godchild, which she would be able to spoil rotten. Oh, and Chid! Such a delight he was! Van had taken him in with no reservations. After all, Millerna and Dryden had twins to worry about at the moment.

Pink hair shouted out of the second photo, which always brought out a laugh. Merle had finally found the man of her dreams…in Hitomi's little brother. As it turned out, they had dated off and on since high school, but kept it a secret due to how closely everyone watched their siblings. They would soon celebrate their second anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend, which was huge considering it was Merle. According to Hitomi, Kenji had a huge surprise for Merle in the form of a particular kind of jewelry…

Finally, the one of her and him. This one was taken last year when they went to America at last. It was the first time she was able to introduce him to her parents, which meant the world to her. She had been so worried the entire time, but they loved him immediately.

"Having fun going down memory lane?"

Her brown eyes focused on him as a smile appeared on her face once again. "They're great memories. Of course I'd have fun." Waiting a moment, she asked, "Can I come over now?"

Chuckling, he nodded, holding a hand out to her to grab. "Let's go out to celebrate." Seeing her hesitate, he kissed her forehead. "It's a huge success. We need to do something."

Thinking it over, she relented. "Oh alright. Let me get my jacket." After she had done so, he took her hand and headed for the door. "Where are we going?"

Smiling, he answered, "It's a surprise."

Shrugging, she simply let him lead her, which is exactly what he wanted.

* * *

Coming up the elevator, she leaned against him with his arms around her. This day could not get any better. She had finally finished her book, There's Not A Thing I Would Change, after so long. It had been her baby and it was finally done. Then dinner tonight was just awesome, of course. Being able to spend time with him was always something she treasured. And soon, she would be able to actually get to sleep before four in the morning. Miracles could happen.

Suddenly, she noticed that the elevator did not stop at their floor. Confused, she looked over at the panel. "Why are we going to the top floor?"

"I thought we could go to the roof and watch the stars for awhile."

"You're making this night simply fabulous, you know."

She felt his chest move as he laughed. "That's the plan." Before she could question him, the doors opened, allowing him to lead her off the vertically moving box and over to the staircase. Before opening the door to go up, he turned and pulled her jacket around her a bit tighter. "It's a bit cold. Can't have you getting sick now." Smiling, she said nothing as they went up the stairs to visit the night sky.

When they got up there, however, he stopped. "Oh shoot. I think I dropped my cell downstairs." After checking his pockets, he turned to the blond. "Go on up and I'll be right back. It's probably just on the elevator."

"You sure you don't want me to help look?"

"Nah. I'll just be a few minutes, probably. You go on ahead." With that, he went back down the stairs before she could say anything more.

Shrugging, she turned her brown eyes towards the door and pushed it open, making sure to watch her step on the way out. The door closed behind her as she stared out onto the roof. Everywhere she turned, there were candles lit and rose petals covering the ground. With mouth hanging open, she walked out into the scene, mesmerized. Suddenly, the sound of violins playing caught her attention as she recognized the tune as "Affections Touching Across Time" from InuYasha, the anime she was addicted to in college. If she had any doubt in her mind before, the music blasted them all away. This rooftop setting was for her.

Covering her mouth with her hand, she felt like she was about to cry at any moment. The door suddenly opened and there he stood, the man she loved with all her heart. He slowly came over to her, kissing her softly on the forehead. Before she knew what was happening, he got down on one knee while holding a small box in his hand. That was when she started to cry.

Looking up at her, he smiled softly. "Sweetie, don't cry. I haven't even gotten through my speech yet." She laughed slightly, but the tears still fell. "From the moment I saw you, I knew I had to do whatever it took to win your heart, for you had mine before I even knew it. It has been such an adventure being part of your life these past six years. Though we've had our disagreements, we always came back together in the end. You are the only woman I ever want to love, because the love you share is the most precious thing I could ever have. You, my love, are the one, my soul mate and my last love. If you'll have me, I would be the luckiest man alive. Danielle, will you marry me?"

At this point, her tears fell even harder. Nodding her head, she immediately answered, "Yes. Yes, Gaddess. A thousand times, yes!"

He stood up quickly and captured her lips with his own, holding her tightly. When they finally parted, he opened the box and slipped the diamond ring onto her ring finger. They kissed again before the clapping and cheering was heard. Danielle looked around and was shocked to see all of them there. Hitomi stood by Van as she practically jumped up and down for joy. "I'm so happy for you!!!"

Van waited while his wife hugged the blond very tightly, congratulating Gaddess in the mean time. "Took you long enough."

"Not at long as you." Hitomi then launched herself at him, giving Van a turn at his good friend.

Without a word, he pulled her into a big hug. "I'm so happy for you, Danielle."

"Thank you so much." She was trying to wipe away her tears, but she knew it was in vain. "How did you guys get over here anyway?"

Smiling, he replied, "Gaddess called us. He said he'd distract you with dinner while we set everything up."

Oh, she could have started crying again, but Robin and John were next to tackle her. Soon, everyone was coming over to congratulate the happy couple including Varie, Maaya, Kenji, Merle, Millerna and Dryden. Apparently Chid was home babysitting all the little ones.

As the evening went on, Danielle finally found Gaddess, her fiancé, and grabbed onto him for dear life. Laughing, he looked down at her, a large smile on his face. "Are you happy?"

Pressing her lips against his, she held him even closer. When she pulled away, she realized she had actually made him a bit dizzy with that one. Laughing, she kissed softly this time before answering, "I couldn't ask for more. Everything is just perfect." They shared one more kiss before being torn apart by the guests that wished to speak with them.

Eventually, the visitors slowly drifted away, soon leaving the newly engaged couple alone in their apartment. Exhausted, they both crawled into bed and held each other close. "I love you, my last love."

With a smile on her face, Danielle began to drift into the dream world she craved. Before that could be done, however, Gaddess had one more thing to add, which was the final thing to make the night perfect. "Sweetie, it's only 3:30am."

And with that, the land of slumber engulfed her fully, completing her dream come true.

* * *

_With love,  
Sakura Onto Hitomi_


End file.
